At least 40 individuals lost their lives, with eight others sustaining injuries following a tragic incident where an overcrowded bus veered off a cliff in south-western Pakistan.

The fatal accident occurred on the Zhob-Sherani Highway near the Dana Sar area, situated close to the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, during the early hours of Friday, as confirmed by officials.

According to Sanaullah Sherani, the head of Zhob district’s emergency center, the bus, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, plunged into a deep ravine in the mountainous Dana Sar region, falling approximately 70 to 80 feet.

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind disclosed that the bus was carrying its passengers along with individuals from another bus that had broken down, leading to the bus being overcrowded. Efforts are underway to identify the deceased victims of the crash.

President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan expressed deep sadness over the tragic incident, extending condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.

In a separate statement, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti conveyed his sorrow and urged authorities to ensure that the injured individuals receive optimal medical care.

Road accidents are a prevalent issue in Pakistan due to substandard road conditions, lack of strict traffic law enforcement, and reckless driving practices, particularly in hilly terrains.

Recent incidents in the country include a minibus colliding with a parked bus on a motorway in north-west Pakistan, resulting in 17 fatalities and five injuries in May. Additionally, in January, two separate road crashes claimed the lives of 24 individuals and left 45 others wounded.

The first crash occurred in Sargodha in Punjab province, where a truck transporting passengers and cargo skidded off the road in heavy fog, plunging into a canal and causing 14 deaths and nine injuries.

Shortly after, a speeding passenger bus overturned on the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistan, resulting in the deaths of 10 individuals and injuries to 36 others. The bus was en route from Karachi, a city in Sindh province, to Jiwani, a town in Balochistan.