At least 35 individuals have lost their lives, and many others are injured, following two distinct bus accidents that occurred only hours apart in Pakistan.
The initial incident transpired when a bus transporting Shiite Muslim pilgrims returning from Iraq via Iran plunged off a highway into a gorge in southwest Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 individuals and injuring 32 more, according to police and officials.
This occurred on the Makran coastal highway after the driver lost control due to brake failure while navigating through the Lasbela district of Baluchistan province, as reported by local police chief Qazi Sabir.
Shortly after, numerous fatalities were reported when another bus fell into a ravine in the Kahuta district of eastern Punjab province, according to police and officials.
Conflicting numbers are being reported by government officials and rescue coordinators, with the interior ministry indicating that 29 have perished. In contrast, rescue teams report that 22 were killed and one individual critically hurt.
Three fatal bus accidents have occurred in the past week.
Traffic accidents involving buses are frequent in Pakistan, and these recent incidents come shortly after another tragedy in which 28 Pakistani pilgrims lost their lives in neighbouring Iran when their bus flipped over and caught fire due to a malfunctioning braking system.
Mourners carry the casket of a Shiite Muslim pilgrim who perished in the bus crash in Iran while travelling to Iraq. Pic: AP
The remains of the victims were repatriated on a Pakistani military aircraft on Saturday and interred in the southern province of Sindh.
They were journeying to Iraq to observe Arbaeen, a significant religious observance marking the conclusion of 40 days of mourning for Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and a pivotal figure in Shiite Islam.
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