At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured when a New Mekhtar passenger coach travelling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine in the Danasar area on the Sherani–Zhob highway, near the border between Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), on Friday.

According to the Medical Emergency Response Centre (MERC), 40 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, while eight injured passengers have been shifted to the Trauma Centre in Zhob. Six ambulances, 12 emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and 10 light transport vehicle (LTV) drivers were deployed as part of the rescue operation.

In a statement, K-P Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi said the bus was carrying 48 passengers when it crashed near Zhob. Faizi said eight injured passengers were given first aid at the scene before being shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Zhob.

According to rescue officials, teams from the Sherani district administration, Rescue 1122, police, the Frontier Corps (FC), and other relevant agencies rushed to the scene soon after the accident was reported. Rescue personnel from K-P also joined the operation. The difficult mountainous terrain hampered rescue efforts, but all injured passengers and the bodies of those killed were eventually recovered from the ravine and shifted to nearby hospitals.

The spokesperson said the bodies of 40 people killed in the crash were initially taken to a nearby Rural Health Centre (RHC) before being transferred to DHQ Hospital Zhob by joint teams from Rescue 1122 Frontier Region Darazinda and Emergency Services Zhob.

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Faizi said Rescue 1122 personnel are working in coordination with Emergency Services Balochistan and other relevant agencies to provide timely assistance to the injured and support the families of those killed.

He added that, on the instructions of Rescue 1122 K-P Director General Shah Fahad, if any of the victims are identified as residents of K-P, Rescue 1122 will transport their bodies to their native areas in its ambulances with full respect.

Sherani Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar said the injured were being provided with immediate medical treatment, while arrangements were being made to transport the bodies of the deceased to their hometowns. Hospitals in Sherani and Dera Ismail Khan were placed on emergency footing following the accident.

Authorities said an investigation was launched to determine the cause of the accident.

One of the injured passengers claimed the coach had been carrying diesel without passengers being informed. He alleged that the diesel was unloaded at the last Frontier Corps checkpoint in Balochistan after an argument broke out between passengers and the driver.

The passenger said the coach crashed shortly afterwards. He added that when he regained consciousness, he saw injured passengers and bodies scattered around the scene, noting that many women and children had been on board.

Separately, Balochistan Chief Minister’s Adviser Shahid Rind said Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti had ordered a formal inquiry into the accident. The Secretary for Transport was tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation, and a detailed report on the causes and circumstances of the crash has been sought.

Rind said the government had decided to conduct a transparent and impartial investigation into every aspect of the incident, adding that any negligence or dereliction of duty uncovered during the inquiry would not be tolerated. Those found responsible would be identified in accordance with the law and the facts.

He said the government would provide all possible assistance to the affected families and implement necessary safety reforms to help prevent similar tragedies and improve the safety of public transport in the future.

Condolences

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in the bus accident. 

Condoling with the bereaved families, they prayed for the elevation of the ranks of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident. They directed authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also voiced deep sorrow over the loss of life and directed the relevant authorities to expedite rescue operations and ensure the injured received the best possible medical treatment. He also conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families.

K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also expressed grief and directed Rescue 1122, the district administration and all relevant authorities to continue relief operations without delay, stressing that no negligence or delay in the rescue effort would be tolerated.

He instructed officials to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical treatment and directed all relevant Rescue 1122 teams to remain in close coordination and cooperation with Balochistan Emergency Services.

The chief minister also ordered the immediate identification of victims belonging to K-P and instructed authorities to establish contact with their families without delay. He further directed that the bodies of those from K-P who lost their lives in the accident be transported to their hometowns with full dignity and respect.

Afridi instructed the relevant authorities to provide every possible assistance and facility to the affected families.

Expressing profound grief over the loss of precious lives, the chief minister extended his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the accident.