Pakistan– Officials confirmed that at least 17 individuals lost their lives, with over 40 sustained injuries, following a tragic incident in Balochistan’s Hub district.
The calamity occurred when a truck carrying pilgrims veered off the road and plummeted into a ravine. Ahmed Talha Wali, the Assistant Superintendent of Police in Hub, verified the casualties and disclosed that the truck, transporting 50 people, was headed from Thatta to the Shah Noorani shrine in Khuzdar.
The mishap unfolded around 10 p.m. the previous night, and the critically injured have been transferred to medical facilities in Jam Ghulam Qadir Hospital, Hub, and the Karachi Trauma Centre. The rescue operation, managed by the Edhi Foundation’s Hub division, concluded Thursday morning, as confirmed by Manan Baloch.
Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed informed AFP that the accident resulted from the truck overspeeding and the driver losing control while navigating a turn. Expressing profound sorrow, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti directed authorities to ensure the best medical care for the injured.
Similarly, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah conveyed his condolences and prayers for the affected families. This tragedy underscores the pressing issue of road safety in Pakistan, attributed to insufficient safety protocols, inadequate driver training, and deteriorating transportation infrastructure.
Overcrowded vehicles and the widespread neglect of seatbelt usage exacerbate the risk of fatalities in accidents. According to the World Health Organization, more than 27,000 people lost their lives in road accidents in Pakistan in 2018 alone. Recalling a similar catastrophe, in January of the preceding year, 41 individuals perished when a passenger bus, laden with flammable oil containers, careened off a cliff in Balochistan province, igniting into flames.
