ZHOB: At least 39 people were killed and around 20 others injured after a passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine in the Sherani district of Balochistan on Friday, authorities confirmed.
According to Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar, the tragic accident occurred in the Dana Sar area near Zhob. Rescue officials said the victims included women and children, making it one of the deadliest road accidents in the province this year.
Emergency rescue teams rushed to the scene soon after the crash and launched a large-scale rescue operation. The injured were pulled from the wreckage and shifted to nearby hospitals for medical treatment, while authorities continued efforts to recover victims from the ravine.
Initial investigations suggest the accident was caused by brake failure while the bus was negotiating a sharp bend on the mountainous road. Officials believe the driver lost control of the vehicle before it veered off the road and plunged into the gorge.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims, and further investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.
The latest tragedy has once again highlighted concerns over road safety and the condition of passenger transport on Balochistan's highways, many of which pass through mountainous terrain with dangerous curves.
The incident comes weeks after the Balochistan Transport Department announced mandatory installation of tracking systems in long-route passenger buses to improve road safety. Under the initiative, buses operating on major national highways, including N-25, N-50, N-65, N-70, and N-40, will be fitted with GPS trackers capable of monitoring speed in real time.
Officials say the monitoring system will immediately alert control rooms if a bus exceeds the speed limit. Authorities have also made tracker certificates mandatory for issuing route permits, warning that strict legal action will be taken against transport operators involved in overspeeding or reckless driving.
Earlier this year, another fatal road accident near Dalbandin claimed seven lives, including three women and two children, underscoring the urgent need for stronger safety measures on Pakistan’s highways.
