At least ten people were killed and dozens injured when a passenger coach travelling from Karachi to Dera Ghazi Khan overturned on the Indus Highway in Punjab’s Rajanpur district early on Wednesday.
The crash occurred at about 05:45 near Bangla Hidayat, close to Sitara Pump in Rojhan tehsil, when the speeding coach struck the central divider and toppled onto the road, according to rescue officials. The driver fled the scene after the accident.
Rescue 1122 said ten of the passengers died at the spot. Dawn identified seven of the dead as men, with two women and a young girl among the fatalities. Dozens more were hurt, with different outlets putting the number of injured between 32 and 44.
Ten ambulances, two rescue vehicles and 35 rescuers took part in the operation. The injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Rajanpur, while those in critical condition were referred to hospitals in Dera Ghazi Khan and the Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan. An emergency was declared at DHQ Rajanpur and nearby hospitals.
Deputy Commissioner Imran Ranjha and the District Police Officer reached the site. The DC told reporters that a case would be registered against the driver as well as the owner of the bus.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over the loss of lives, directed that the injured receive the best possible treatment, and ordered action against those responsible.
Rescue officials attributed the crash to overspeeding, with reports also pointing to driver fatigue as the coach had been running non-stop since leaving Karachi.
