Tragic Bus Accidents in Pakistan Claim Over 37 Lives

At least 37 people, including 11 pilgrims, were killed and several others injured in two separate bus accidents in Pakistan on Sunday. The first accident occurred on the Makran Coastal Highway, Balochistan, while the second happened in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Rescue operations are ongoing.

At least 37 people, including 11 pilgrims, were killed and several others were injured in two separate bus accidents in Pakistan on Sunday.

The first accident took place when a bus carrying 70 people, returning Shia pilgrims from Iran to Punjab province, veered off the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistan.

The Makran Coastal Highway stretches 653 km along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast from Karachi, Sindh province to Gwadar in Balochistan. Most passengers hailed from Lahore or Gujranwala, said police sources, adding that 35 were injured in the accident.

District Commissioner (DC) Lasbela, Humaira Baloch, confirmed a rescue operation is underway. The second incident saw 26 people killed after a bus carrying 35 plunged into a ditch in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as reported by Qamar Nadeem from Edhi Foundation, the largest private ambulance service.

"So far, 26 people have been confirmed dead and three injured," Nadeem told PTI, with the cause of the accident, occurring in a mountainous area, still unknown.

Residents are aiding in retrieving bodies from the bus, while police and rescue teams are en route to the site. Deputy Commissioner Sadhanoti, Umar Farooq, stated the deceased included children, women, and men from the Sadhanoti district. These accidents follow another recent tragic bus crash involving Pakistani pilgrims in Iran, resulting in 35 deaths and 15 injuries.

(With inputs from agencies.)