Kallar Kahar bus tragedy: Case registered against driver, owner

At least 13 people were killed when reportedly malfunctioning bus overturned on Lahore-Islamabad motorway

Police have registered a case against the bus driver, owner of the bus company, and several others allegedly involved in the deadly bus accident on the Lahore-Islamabad motorway that resulted in the loss of 13 lives and left 18 others severely injured.

At least five women and three children were killed in the tragic road accident on Saturday which took place near the Salt Range in Kallar Kahar at the M2 motorway, some 130km from the federal capital.

According to police, a case has been registered at the Kallar Kahar police station on the complaint of Inspector Mohammad Bilal of the Motorway Police under the Sections 322, 337-G, 279, 427, and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Read more: 13 perish in Kallar Kahar road tragedy

Those named in the case include bus driver Farhat Abbas Shah, the bus owner Akram, bus station manager Ansar, the central depot manager of the Shalimar Company in Jhang, Mian Haider, and the motor vehicle examiner.

According to the FIR, a passenger reported that the bus was already malfunctioning when it departed from the Rawalpindi bus depot. Despite informing the driver, the owner of the Shalimar Company's bus, and the depot manager in Rawalpindi, no attention was paid to the bus's condition. They allegedly stated the bus was fine and instructed the driver to proceed.

The bus was unable to function properly en route due to the malfunction and overturned near Kallar Kahar apparently due to the driver's negligence.

The police have stated that they are conducting raids to arrest the accused.

According to reports, the bus, registered under number BSG-055 and belonging to the Shalimar Company, was travelling through the famous Salt Range in Kallar Kahar when it lost control due to brake failure.

The bus crashed into the median strip that separates opposing lanes of traffic before overturning. Motorway Police were quick to respond, beginning a rescue operation promptly after the incident. The injured were immediately rushed to the trauma centre in Kallar Kahar.