At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured after a passenger bus travelling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine in the Dana Sar area of Sherani district on Friday, officials said.
According to local authorities, the bus was travelling through the mountainous route along the Balochistan–Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border when it reportedly lost control while negotiating a sharp turn before falling hundreds of feet into a gorge.
Preliminary investigations indicate that brake failure may have caused the accident, although officials said a detailed inquiry has been launched to determine the exact circumstances.
Rescue teams, district administration officials and ambulances rushed to the scene immediately after the crash. Rescue personnel from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also joined the operation to assist in retrieving bodies and evacuating the injured from the difficult terrain.
Sherani Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar said the injured, including women and children, were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. An emergency was declared at hospitals in Sherani and Dera Ismail Khan to ensure immediate medical care for the victims.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. He directed the relevant authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also expressed grief over the incident, saying rescue and relief efforts had been intensified on his directives. He said all concerned departments, including the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), district administration, Frontier Corps and rescue services, were working jointly to respond to the emergency.
In a statement, the Balochistan government said rescue operations were continuing with support from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. Rescue teams and medical personnel from KP were assisting in transporting the injured to the Zhob Trauma Centre, while authorities continued efforts to recover victims from the ravine.
Officials said relief operations would remain underway until all affected passengers had been rescued and accounted for.
