Twenty lives snuffed out in Shirani bus tragedy

At least 14 injured after ill-fated bus plunges into ravine in the district

QUETTA:

At least 20 passengers were killed and 14 injured when a passenger bus fell into a ravine in Shirani district on Sunday morning.

Assistant Commissioner Syed Mehtab Shah told The Express Tribune that the ill-fated bus was heading to Quetta from Rawalpindi when it tumbled into the ravine.

“Rainfall and speeding led to the incident,” he shared, adding that two students were also among the dead.

Earlier in the day, the district’s assistant commissioner had said that lives of 19 passengers were snuffed out while 12 others were left with injuries. Later, the death toll rose to 20 after one more patient succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

Officials confirmed that a rescue operation was launched soon after to shift the remaining dead bodies to hospital where the process to identify them was underway. An emergency was also declared in the hospital to provide medical treatment to the injured – which include women and children.

“All injured people have been shifted to Zhob hospital,” Shah said. Women and children were also among the dead and injured.

Read Minor girl among three killed on road

PM, CM express sorrow

Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Quddus Bizenjo expressed grief and sorrow over the deadly traffic incident and ordered an emergency in Civil Hospital Zhob to ensure treatment for the injured.

In a statement issued after the incident, the chief minister directed the local administration to provide better medical treatment to the victims of the incident.

Later, President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.

The president and the prime minister while expressing their condolences to the bereaved families prayed for the high ranks of the departed souls. They also prayed for the early recovery of the injured ones.

The premier directed the authorities concerned to provide immediate medical aid to the injured.

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K-P CM
Expressing profound sorrow over the tragic incident, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

He also directed the concerned authorities to provide the best medical facilities to the injured.