An accident involving a bus carrying pilgrims in Pakistan led to the deaths of 17 people and left 16 others injured, officials confirmed on Thursday, April 11. The tragic incident occurred near the Las Bela district in Baluchistan province, where the bus plunged into a deep ditch approximately 15.5 miles from an important shrine during the festivities of Eid Al-Fitr, a significant public holiday.
Shahid Rind, a representative for the provincial government, revealed that the accident took place on the evening of Wednesday, April 10. The bus was en route to a revered religious site when the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a bend, causing the bus to plummet into the ditch.
The severely injured passengers were immediately transported to a hospital in the adjacent Sindh province for urgent medical attention. The bus was carrying 33 people, including the driver, when the accident happened.
Chief Minister of Baluchistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, expressed his deep regret over the incident, emphasizing the significant impact on families celebrating the festive period.
The section of the road where the accident happened is notorious for frequent traffic accidents. These incidents are often associated with poor road maintenance and insufficient safety measures. Baluchistan, a region with substantial geographic and infrastructural challenges, reports a higher rate of road fatalities.
Emergency response teams, including officials from the Levies Force, promptly arrived at the scene. Their primary focus was the rescue of survivors and the provision of immediate medical assistance to prevent further casualties.
The incident underscores the ongoing road safety issues in Pakistan. Despite persistent efforts by local authorities to improve road conditions and vehicle safety, severe accidents continue to occur, emphasizing the need for improved governance and infrastructure management.
Concerns have been raised by community members and relatives of the victims about the frequent occurrence of such accidents. They attribute these tragedies to neglected road conditions and inadequate safety standards and are urging the government to enforce stricter safety regulations to prevent future incidents.
Officials confirmed on Thursday that all the passengers were residents of Thatta town in the Sindh province, with many belonging to the same family. “They were all very poor people,” Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said, identifying them as laborers who had been traveling by bus.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is currently underway, with initial findings suggesting a possible brake failure as a contributing factor. The outcome of this investigation is expected to offer further insight into the accident and assist in the development of strategies to prevent similar incidents.
