Dozens Killed In Pakistan Bus Crashes

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Investigations were underway in Pakistan Mondy after at least 37 people, including a dozen who were returning from a religious pilgrimage in Iraq, died Sunday in two unrelated bus crashes in Pakistan, officials said.

The first accident happened in the southwestern province of Balochistan, where a bus carrying Muslim pilgrims returning from Iraq plunged into a ravine on a coastal highway.

Twelve people were killed, and 23 were injured, rescue officials said, adding that the accident was probably caused by speeding or brake failure.

Every year, at least 50,000 Pakistanis travel to Iraq to commemorate the Shiite Muslim holiday of Arbaeen, according to official estimates.

The second crash occurred in Kahuta, near the northern city of Rawalpindi. A bus drove into a ditch, killing all 25 people on board, including four women and a child, said Farooq Butt, a rescue official.

One injured man was pulled from the wreckage but died on the way to the hospital, Butt told reporters.

Officials said the cause of the accident was not yet known. In a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of life.

The accidents highlighted road safety in a country that experts say is known for poor road conditions, lax traffic enforcement, and fatal crashes. Bus drivers have also been accused of negligence.

“Poor enforcement, untrained traffic officers, and unsafe vehicles make things worse,” added Syed Kaleem Imam, a former police inspector general.

The aftermath of the accidents came as authorities were also dealing with terror attacks that killed dozens of people on Monday.

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