A passenger bus travelling from Islamabad to Quetta on Saturday plunged into a deep ditch in Balochistan’s Sherani district due to speeding, leaving four passengers dead and 14 injured, police said.

Sherani district’s Deputy Commissioner Sana Mahjabeen Umrani told Dawn.com that the accident took place in the Danasar area of the Zhob hill range.

“There were 25 passengers on board the bus out of which four passengers died,” she said.

“Among the injured are women and children who were referred to hospitals in Quetta after providing them with first aid at Trauma Center Zhob.”

The deceased were said to be from Quetta, she added.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti expressed sorrow over the accident, saying that he was saddened by the loss of precious human lives, according to a statement from his office.

He launched an investigation into the accident and said that action would be taken against the bus company if negligence was proved.

CM Balochistan has ordered the secretary of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to take action and cancel the route permits against the transport companies involved in violating the rules saying “no negligence will be tolerated.”

He expressed his condolences to the families of those who died in the accident and issued an order to provide medical facilities to the injured.

Trauma Centre Quetta spokesman Kamran Khajak said that the seven injured people brought to the trauma centre were out of danger.

Frequent road accidents

Last month, at least 11 people were killed and 35 injured when a bus overturned on the Makran coastal highway and fell into a ditch, police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lasbela Capt. Naveed Alam said the bus was carrying pilgrims from Iran to Punjab when it overturned near Buzzi Top, as the driver lost control of the vehicle due to overspeeding.

Four passengers were still trapped inside the coach, and a crane was called to evacuate them, SSP Alam said.

The dead and injured were said to be from Lahore and Gujranwala, according to Hakeem Lassi, Edhi in-charge Lasbela. He added that the army, Rescue 1122, and Edhi were conducting the rescue operation, and the injured had been shifted to the Civil Hospital.

The bus was carrying around 60 passengers, Ali Hassan, one of the injured passengers who belongs to Gujranwala, told Dawn.com.

Similarly, in May, at least 28 people died and 22 were injured after a bus fell into a ravine in Washuk in Balochistan, according to officials.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Basima Assistant Commissioner (AC) Ismail Mengal said the accident occurred when a tyre of the vehicle burst, which led to it crashing into a hill and then plunging into a ravine.

Three women and three children were also among the deceased, AC Mengal said.

He noted that the bus, which had 45 to 50 passengers on board and was travelling from Turbat to Quetta overnight, suffered the accident at around 5 in the morning.