2 killed, 36 injured as bus falls into ravine in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan]: Two people died and 36 others were injured when a Rawalpindi-bound bus fell into a ravine in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kohistan area on Sunday evening, Dawn reported, citing rescue officials.

According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Abdur Rehman, the bus, operated by a private company, was travelling from Skardu (PoJK) to Rawalpindi with 38 passengers on board. The accident took place near the Shetial area in Upper Kohistan’s Harban tehsil.

“The bus driver and a passenger died in the accident, and 36 others were injured. They have been shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Chilas, Diamer,” Rehman said.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Nadeem, a passenger from Vehari in Punjab, and Sadaqat Hussain, the bus driver from Dinor, Gilgit (PoJK). Rehman noted that most of the injured passengers were from Skardu (PoJK), while others were from Shangla’s Besham Dandai area and various parts of Punjab. Among the injured were women and children.

Some of the critically injured passengers are undergoing surgeries, while others are in stable condition, the Pakistani daily reported citing Rehman.

Rehman also attributed frequent accidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern areas to rugged terrain, poor road conditions, and overloaded vehicles. He added that narrow, winding roads, unpredictable weather, and driver fatigue further increase the risk, making these areas particularly prone to accidents.

Last month, Dawn reported a similar incident when a landslide struck a bus on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Upper Kohistan’s Dasu area, killing three people, including two Pakistani army personnel. District Police Officer Mukhtiar Ahmad stated that a Hunza-bound bus was hit by large boulders, killing two Pakistani soldiers and a civilian, with another passenger injured.

(With inputs from ANI)