Quetta varsity student killed after falling from bus

A student of Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) was killed after falling from the overcrowded bus in Quetta, Balochistan on Tuesday.

Police told The Express Tribune that Ali Asghar, a student of the Electrical Engineering Department, lost his life and his cousin was critically injured after falling from the speeding bus near the Chiltan Housing Scheme area.

Both of them were standing at the entrance of the bus, which was carrying 80 passengers as against the capacity of less than 40 passengers.

This tragedy sparked outrage and the civil society demanded for the accountability.

In a press conference, social activist Rozina Khilji condemned the university administration and the government for their negligence.

“This incident is a direct result of the administration’s failure to provide safe transportation to students. We demand a thorough investigation into the incident,” she asserted. Khilji’s remarks reflect the growing frustration among the public regarding the lack of proactive measures to ensure students’ safety.

Following the incident, Balochistan’s Education Minister Raheel Hameed Khan Durrani has initiated a probe, appointing Higher Education Balochistan secretary Hafiz Tahir as the inquiry officer. However, the move has done little to quell the anger of students and activists.

The Pashtoonkhwa Students Organization (PSO) staged a protest demonstration, demanding immediate action and improvements in university transportation. A student from BUITEMS, requesting the anonymity, criticized the university and the provincial government.