**At Least 32 Dead After Overcrowded Bus Plunges into Ravine in Pakistan**
**Quetta, Pakistan** – A tragic accident occurred on Friday morning when an overcrowded passenger bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine in the Dana Sar mountain range, located on the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 32 individuals, with 16 others sustaining injuries.
The bus was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when it crashed around 08:00 local time (03:00 GMT). According to a government official at Zhob Hospital, there were a total of 48 passengers on board, including women and children, at the time of the accident.
Preliminary investigations into the cause of the crash suggest that a steering fault may have contributed to the driver losing control of the vehicle, leading to the bus skidding off the mountain range. Eyewitness accounts and photographs from the scene depict the bus as severely damaged after falling approximately 70 to 80 feet (21-24 meters) into the ravine.
Emergency responders and ambulances were quickly dispatched to the crash site; however, the challenging terrain hindered rescue and recovery efforts. The injured passengers were transported to the District Headquarters Hospital in Zhob, which is situated about 68 kilometers (42 miles) from the location of the accident. The bodies of the deceased were also taken to the hospital, where they will be identified and subsequently returned to their hometowns.
Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for Balochistan's chief minister, indicated that the bus was likely overcrowded due to having taken on additional passengers from another bus that had experienced mechanical failure. This practice of overloading vehicles is not uncommon in the region and has been cited as a contributing factor in numerous road accidents.
In the wake of the tragedy, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their condolences to the families affected by the disaster. Balochistan's Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also conveyed his sorrow on social media, stating that he was "deeply saddened" by the incident and has ordered an inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash. He assured the public that immediate medical support was being provided to those injured.
Fatal road accidents are a persistent issue in Pakistan, often attributed to reckless driving, poor road conditions, and the use of inadequately maintained vehicles. In a similar incident in 2024, at least 17 pilgrims lost their lives, and 40 others were injured when their bus fell into a ravine while traveling to Balochistan for Eid celebrations.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on improving road safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.