Tragic Bus Accident on Makran Coastal Highway Claims 11 Lives
HUB/LASBELA: In a tragic turn of events, a bus carrying pilgrims veered off the Makran Coastal Highway and plunged into a ravine, resulting in the loss of 11 lives and leaving over 30 others injured, according to police reports shared with Geo News on Sunday.
Lyari Station House Officer Qadir provided details of the harrowing accident, stating that the pilgrims — who were from Lahore and Gujranwala, according to the police — were en route back to Punjab from Iran when the bus experienced a brake failure, leading to the devastating crash.
Lasbela Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Captain (retd) Naveed Alam confirmed the casualty count and reported that levies, police, and other emergency response teams are actively engaged in a rescue operation. He also mentioned that the deceased and the injured were being transported to nearby hospitals for further medical attention.
In light of this tragic incident, both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their deep sorrow and have issued directives to ensure that the injured receive all necessary medical aid.
Additionally, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq extended his condolences and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured in the accident.
This unfortunate event marks the second major bus accident caused by brake failure this week. Earlier, 28 Pakistani pilgrims lost their lives in a fatal crash near the Taftan-Dehshir checkpoint in Iran's Yazd city. The bus, which was carrying them to participate in Arbaeen, collided with a wall and overturned due to high speed and brake failure.
The remains of the victims from the earlier incident were returned to Pakistan via a special flight on Friday. The ill-fated bus had 53 passengers on board, including 14 women. Among the victims, 10 were from Khairpur, six from Kashmore, and three from Karachi.
