At least 40 people were killed and many others injured in two separate bus accidents in Pakistan on Sunday. 11 Shia Muslim pilgrims were also involved in these accidents. Officials have given information about this accident.
The first accident occurred when a bus carrying around 70 pilgrims overturned and fell into a ditch on the Makran coastal highway. According to police, the bus was returning from Iraq via Iran. The accident took place more than 100 km from Karachi in Balochistan province. At least 11 people were killed and 35 others injured in the accident.
The Makran Coastal Highway is a 653-km-long national highway that stretches from Karachi to Gwadar in Balochistan along Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coast. According to police sources, most of the passengers in the bus were from Lahore or Gujranwala. Police said the bus driver lost control, causing the bus to first overturn and then fall into the ditch.
Lasbela Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Captain Naved Alam said the bus was travelling from Iran to Punjab when the accident occurred near Buzzi Top. He said 11 bodies have been recovered from the ravine and 35 injured passengers have been admitted to a hospital. “Four passengers are still trapped in the remains of the bus and efforts are on to rescue them,” he said.
A few hours later, 29 people were killed and three others injured in another bus accident in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. According to Qamar Nadeem of the Edhi Foundation, the accident occurred near Giriri Bridge, Kahuta, which is located about 400 kilometers from Lahore. The cause of the accident is said to be brake failure of the bus.
According to Rescue 1122, the dead include 23 men, five women and a child. Some bodies were taken out by cutting the body of the bus. Deputy Commissioner Sadhnoti Umar Farooq said that all the victims were from Sadhnoti district. Police, administration and rescue teams are present at the spot and relief work is going on.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the accident and offered their condolences to the families of the deceased. Zardari stressed the need to speed up relief work in this hour of grief.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also offered her condolences and expressed deep regret over the tragic incident. These accidents come just days after a bus carrying Pakistani Shia pilgrims crashed in Iran, killing 35 and injuring 15. Travel restrictions have now been imposed for pilgrims in Iran and Pakistan’s Gwadar.
Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Hamoodur Rahman said that travel from Gabad in Iran to Gwadar has been completely banned for the safety of the pilgrims. He said, “Iran has also banned the entry of pilgrims, so they should avoid any travel at this time.”
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)