At least 32 people were killed and 16 others injured after an overcrowded passenger bus plunged into a ravine in south-western Pakistan.
The bus was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when it crashed in the Dana Sar mountain range, on the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, at approximately 08:00 local time on Friday.
A government official at Zhob Hospital reported a total of 48 individuals, including a number of women and children, had boarded the vehicle when the accident occurred.
Preliminary reports indicate a steering fault may have caused the driver to lose control and the vehicle skidded off the mountain path.
Photographs from the scene show the severely damaged bus following its descent to the bottom of the ravine.
Rescued injured were taken to the District Headquarters hospital in Zhob, about 68 km from the crash site.
Sanaullah Sherani, the head of Zhob district's emergency service, stated the bus fell roughly 70 to 80 feet into the ravine.
Emergency responders and ambulances were deployed to the scene, but difficult terrain hampered rescue and recovery efforts.
The bodies of those killed were also transported to the hospital for identification and then to their hometowns by ambulance.
Shahid Rind, spokesperson for Balochistan's chief minister, mentioned initial evidence showed the bus had taken on extra passengers from another broken-down bus, contributing to overcrowding.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences over the deaths.
Balochistan's Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti posted on X, saying he was deeply saddened, ordered an inquiry, and extended prayers for the swift recovery of the injured, while assuring immediate medical support.
Fatal accidents are common on Pakistan's roads, often caused by reckless driving, bad road conditions, and poorly maintained vehicles.
In 2024 a similar accident left 17 pilgrims dead when a bus fell into a ravine while traveling to Balochistan for Eid celebrations.
