At least 12 people killed, 35 injured when a bus overturned on the Makran coastal highway & fell into a ditch
MAKRAN/ISLAMABAD, August 25 (SABAH): At least 12 people were killed and 35 injured when a bus overturned on the Makran coastal highway and fell into a ditch on Sunday.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lasbela Captain (retd) Naveed Alam said the bus was carrying pilgrims from Iran to Punjab when it overturned near Buzzi Top as the driver lost control of the vehicle due to overspeeding.
Four passengers were still trapped inside the coach, and a crane has been called for to evacuate them, SSP Alam said.
The dead and injured were said to be from Lahore and Gujranwala, according to Hakeem Lassi, Edhi in-charge Lasbela.
He added that the army, Rescue 1122, and Edhi were conducting the rescue operation, and the injured had been shifted to civil hospital.
The bus was carrying around 60 passengers, Ali Hassan, one of the injured passengers who belongs to Gujranwala, told a private TV channel.
Five of the injured were brought to Jam Ghulam Qadir hospital in Hub where first aid was administered to them before being sent to Karachi, according to District Commissioner (DC) Hub Rohana Gul Kakar. She added that one body has been brought to the Rural Health Centre in Winder.
An emergency has been imposed in hospitals in Hub to treat the injured, according to Mir Ali Hassan Zehri, adviser on commerce and industries to Balochistan’s CM.
The Sindh government has also been contacted for the best possible treatment for the injured, as have authorities of the health department, he added.
Gwadar DC Hamoodur Rehman has imposed a complete travel ban on the movement of pilgrims from Iran’s Gabd to Gwadar for their safety, according to a statement issued by the district’s administration.
“Iran has also banned the entry of pilgrims, and, therefore, they should avoid any travel at this time,” the statement said.
This measure is aimed at improving traveling facilities for pilgrims, the statement read. It urged pilgrims to avoid any unnecessary travel at this point.
Meanwhile President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have expressed heartfelt condolences over the loss of Zaireen’s lives in a bus accident on Makran Coastal Highway.
In their condolence message, they commiserated with the bereaved families of deceased and directed the relevant authorities to provide timely medical aid and care to the injured.
The President prayed for high ranks of the deceased in the hereafter and speedy recovery of the injured.
The Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to provide timely medical aid and care to the injured.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori also instructed relevant authorities to shift the injured to Karachi and provide all possible medical facilities to them. He expressed his solidarity with the families of the deceased in their hour of grief, according to a post shared on X.
Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti in their separate messages have expressed sorrow over loss of precious lives.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the Lasbela incident and extended her condolences to the grieving families. She also prayed for the swift recovery of those injured.