QUETTA: At least 11 people were killed and 26 others injured on Saturday in two separate road accidents in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, government officials said.
The first crash occurred on the N-85 highway near Panjgur when a Khuzdar-Panjgur bound passenger bus collided with an Iranian Zamyad vehicle carrying smuggled diesel. The vehicle burst into flames on impact, setting the bus ablaze.
“Eight people were killed in the accident and three injured,” said Panjgur Deputy Commissioner Kabeer Zarkoon, adding that one critically injured passenger had been referred to Karachi for treatment.
Footage seen by Arab News showed the bus completely gutted by fire.
The second incident took place in Khanozai, about 35 kilometers from Pishin, when a Quetta-Islamabad bound bus overturned after colliding with another vehicle on the N-50 highway.
“The bus crashed into a vehicle coming from the opposite direction and overturned, killing three passengers and injuring 23,” said Amir Hamza, Assistant Commissioner Karezat.
He said eight critically injured passengers were shifted to the Trauma Center Quetta, while others with minor injuries were treated on the spot.
Fatal road accidents are frequent in Pakistan, where poor road conditions, aging vehicles and disregard for traffic rules often cause casualties.
Much of Balochistan lacks dual carriageways, making head-on collisions a persistent danger. The traffic police regularly warn drivers on social media against speeding and reckless driving.
Smuggled Iranian fuel has also played a role in major damage caused by accidents in the province.
Balochistan’s porous border with Iran makes it possible for people to bring diesel and petrol illegally, which are then sold across the province and parts of Sindh, despite the risks of transporting them in unsafe vehicles.
