Balochistan’s national highways have witnessed over 77,000 road accidents in the past five years, making them among the most dangerous routes in the country, according to a report released by the Medical Emergency Response Center (MERC) 1122.
Covering the period from October 2019 to September 2025, the report states that 77,826 accidents were recorded across the province’s highway network. These incidents resulted in 1,743 fatalities and 103,902 injuries, raising concerns over road safety and emergency response infrastructure in the region.
The data indicates that the N-25 Highway, which connects Karachi to Chaman, accounted for the highest number of accidents — 35,113 in total, leading to at least 900 deaths. The N-25 serves as Balochistan’s primary commercial route, but deteriorating road conditions, single carriageways, speeding, and an increasing volume of heavy traffic have turned it into one of the province’s most hazardous corridors.
The N-50 Highway, running from Quetta to Dera Ismail Khan, reported 24,694 accidents, with 421 lives lost. According to MERC, the road’s narrow lanes, sharp curves, and lack of lighting contribute significantly to the high rate of nighttime collisions.
Accidents have also become frequent on N-85 (Surab to Panjgur) and N-70 (Loralai to Dera Ghazi Khan), where emergency services routinely respond to serious incidents.
Analysts and road safety experts have attributed the alarming number of accidents to a combination of factors. These include:
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Overspeeding and reckless overtaking
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Deteriorating road infrastructure
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Lack of road signage and lane markings
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Untrained or unlicensed drivers
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Absence of routine vehicle inspections
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Limited presence of traffic enforcement and highway patrol units
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official associated with MERC noted that despite repeated recommendations, road safety audits and infrastructure upgrades have not been prioritised at the federal or provincial level.
“Without proper investment in both infrastructure and enforcement, these highways will continue to endanger lives,” the official said.
The report calls for urgent policy intervention, including dualisation of highways, deployment of trained traffic police, and establishment of more trauma centres along high-risk routes.
Balochistan’s vast geography, combined with limited health and emergency services, continues to compound the impact of road traffic incidents—often turning survivable accidents into fatal ones due to delayed medical response.
