At least 32 individuals lost their lives and 16 sustained injuries when an overcrowded passenger bus plunged into a mountain ravine in southwestern Pakistan.
The vehicle was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when it crashed in the Dana Sar mountain range, spanning the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, around 08:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Friday.
A Zhob Hospital official confirmed 48 passengers, including women and children, were aboard at the time of the accident.
While the investigation is ongoing, initial reports indicate a potential steering malfunction caused the driver to lose control before the vehicle veered off the mountain road.
Emergency responders found the severely damaged bus at the base of a 70-to-80-foot (21-to-24-meter) ravine following the crash.
Injured victims were transported to Zhob District Headquarters Hospital, located approximately 68 km (42 miles) from the accident site.
Rescue operations faced challenges due to rugged terrain, and recovered bodies were taken to the hospital for identification before being sent to families via ambulance.
Balochistan Chief Minister Ali Asadullah Khan Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences for the victims.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated he was “deeply grieved” by the incident and ordered an inquiry, while assuring the public of ongoing medical support for the injured.
Road accidents in Pakistan frequently involve factors such as reckless driving, deteriorated infrastructure, and inadequate vehicle maintenance.
In 2024, a similar bus crash during Eid celebrations resulted in 17 fatalities and 40 injuries when a passenger vehicle fell into a ravine in Balochistan.