‘Drivers negligence’ caused Lasbela incident

JIT submits report to CM; recommends establishment of emergency health units

QUETTA: A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed in the wake of Lasbela accident where at least 27 people were burned to death has held the drivers of the passenger coach and truck responsible for committing negligence on one of the busiest highways in the country.

“Despite knowing the traffic at Quetta-Karachi Highway, the trailer truck driver was taking a turn while a speeding Turbat-bound passenger coach hit the trailer,” according to the initial finding of JIT submitted to the chief minister on Monday.

JIT head Bashir Bangulzai said no evidence was found of oil smuggling in the passenger coach but the samples had been sent to the Lahore forensic lab. “The speedy passenger coach hit the battery and fuel tank of the truck which ignited flames inside the bus, some passengers managed to escape from back door of the coach but rest was stranded and burn to death,” Bangulzai said, adding that the coach was also overloaded that toppled down it after the hit.



The JIT report also held the National Highway Authority responsible for not posting adequate signboards along the curve at RCD highway — because of which the truck took turn on one of the sharp curves at Quetta-Karachi Highway.

“Due to mountainous area drivers often are unable to see ahead on sharp curves but from flexible engineering designs the curves can be made better,” the JIT recommended in its report.

The report added that on a daily basis as many as 800 vehicles travel on Quetta-Karachi Highway but there is no mechanism to monitor the fitness of passenger coaches and heavy vehicle and their speed limits.

“To avert human lives loss at National Highway there should be emergency health units, ambulances and fire brigade vehicles on the Quetta-Karachi highways,” the JIT head said and added that the government should take steps to build trauma and burns centres on the National Highway.

The team also recommended expanding the Quetta-Karachi Highway into two way road so that the accidents caused by speedy over take could be prevented.