37 dead in two bus crashes

MUZAFFARABAD/KARACHI:

At least 37 people were killed in two separate bus accidents on Sunday, including 12 pilgrims who had been trying to reach Iran, rescue and hospital officials said.

All 25 people were killed when the bus they were travelling in plunged into a ravine near the town of Azad Pattan on the border between Punjab and Azad Kashmir.

Rescue 1122 spokesman, Muhammad Usman confirmed APP that 25 people have died in the accident so far. He informed that 23 bodies were recovered from the accident spot. The bodies and the injured were shifted to THQ Hospital, Kalar Syedan, where two seriously injured could not survive and died.

Sameena Khan, the head of Tehsil Headquarter Hospital in the town of Kahuta, told AFP that 23 bodies had been recovered from the crash site.

"I have lost three members of my family," Tara Zafar, who travelled to the hospital after hearing about the accident, told AFP. Her father, sister and one-year-old nephew were among the dead.

"I hoped that at least one of them had survived. It's doomsday for my family."

Umar Farooq, a senior government official from Sudhanoti district, where the bus started its journey, confirmed the death toll in a phone call with AFP from the crash site.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic loss of lives in the accident, as reported by Radio Pakistan.

In his statement, he offered prayers "for the high ranks of the departed souls and patience for their families."

The premier also instructed the "authorities to provide immediate medical aid to the injured."

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari extended his sympathies and sent condolences to the grieving families.

He also underscored the importance of "speeding up relief activities," according to a statement shared by his party, PPP, on X.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conveyed his "heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased," while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed that she was "deeply saddened" by the loss of lives.

"May Allah exalt the ranks of those who died in this tragedy and grant patience to their loved ones," she shared on X.

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also lamented the accident.

"I express my heartfelt condolences and solidarity with the families of those who died in the accident," Ayaz Sadiq stated on X.

"The authorities should ensure the provision of immediate medical aid to the injured persons in the accident."

According to police reports, the coach departed from Pirwadhai Bus Terminal at around 7am, heading towards Pallandri, Azad Kashmir.

The passengers, who hailed from Sudhanoti and surrounding areas, included elderly men, women, and children.

The incident occurred around 9:30am when the coach, approaching the Azad Pattan area, lost control and plunged into the ravine near the Girari Bridge.

The bodies were transferred to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) Kahuta and nearby medical facilities.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Usman Gujar reported that two of the deceased were initially injured and taken to the hospital by local residents, but they succumbed to their injuries before receiving medical care.

City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani personally oversaw the rescue operation and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives.

He assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the accident, which preliminary reports suggest may have been due to brake failure or another technical issue.

The deceased have been identified, including Obaid Ahmed (30), Ali Asghar (35), Jawad Israr (28), Zafar Mahmood (52), Rafiq Ahmed (35), Kamran (40), Muhammad Bashir (78), Muhammad Waseem (22), Muhammad Hameed (45), Jamshed Ali (63), Junaid Ali (16), Gul Azam (60), Muhammad Ilyas (66), Umar Farooq (17), Moin Haider (19), Khalid Mahmood (50), Abdul Wahab (35), Muhammad Riaz (64), and Wajahat Sikandar, a 2-year-old child. Among the women were Sugra Begum (28), Kiran Bibi (30), Rozi (45), and Nazneen Bibi (60).

Assistant Commissioner Kahuta Ayesha Zafar while speaking to the media, mentioned that many of the passengers were travelling to attend a religious gathering.

 

Arbaeen pilgrims die

In a separate incident, 12 men died when their bus crashed into a ravine on the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistan, after being prevented from crossing into Iran.

"An army crane is on its way to help lift the bus from the ravine to check if passengers are pinned underneath the vehicle. Therefore, the death toll may rise," police official Aslam Bangulzai, who was at the scene, told AFP.

"This is a particularly treacherous tract of road, with many twists and turns. The driver was speeding and the bus fell into a deep ravine," he added.

The accident occurred in a mountainous area, around 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the nearest town of Uthal and 500 kilometres from the Iran border town of Pishin.

"The bus was carrying pilgrims on its way to Arbaeen (pilgrimage) but was turned back at the Iran border because their documents had some problems," said Hamoodur Rehman, a senior government official in the nearby district of Gwadar.

Road accidents with high fatalities are common in the country, where safety measures are lax, driver training is poor and transport infrastructure often decrepit.

On Saturday, the bodies of 28 pilgrims who died in a bus crash in Iran were returned to Pakistan.

The bus was carrying 51 Pakistani pilgrims who were passing through Iran to attend the Arbaeen commemoration in Iraq, one of the biggest events of the Shiite calendar, when it overturned and caught fire in front of a checkpoint in Yazd province on Tuesday night, Iranian state TV reported.

(With additional input from agencies)