RAWALPINDI:
At least six people, including women and children, were killed and 38 others injured after a passenger bus fell into a ravine near the Chakri Interchange on the M-2 Motorway on Sunday, reportedly due to speeding on a slippery, rain-soaked road.
According to officials, the ill-fated bus — operated by a private transport company — was en route from Rawalpindi to Multan and was carrying 43 passengers at the time of the accident. The vehicle skidded off the road near Chakri and plunged into a deep gorge.
Motorway Police, Rescue 1122, and other emergency services responded swiftly to the scene. The injured were provided first aid on-site before being shifted to various hospitals. Seven of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.
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Initial accounts suggest that the driver was speeding despite poor visibility and slippery conditions. A female survivor, in a video recorded while speaking to a Rescue 1122 officer, stated that the vehicle was fully packed and that the driver ignored warnings from passengers to slow down, leading to the deadly crash.
Among the deceased were 50-year-old Saima Subhan from Karachi, Samina Nasir, aged 50, from Mian Channu, and Faheem, an 18-year-old from Wah Cantt. Also confirmed dead were Naveeda Naheed from Pir Mahal, Muhammad Ashraf, aged 35, and Iram Batool, who succumbed to her injuries later in hospital.
Among the injured are 11 children aged between one and 17. Of the 38 injured, 23 were taken to District Headquarters Hospital Chakwal, eight to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, and seven to DHQ Hospital Rawalpindi. Bodies of the deceased were transported to district hospitals in Chakwal and Rawalpindi.
Chakri Police, led by SHO Inspector Masood, have initiated a formal inquiry into the incident. Authorities have yet to confirm whether the driver and his assistant are among the injured or dead, as they could not be located at the scene.
Motorway Police and district officials said investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash and ascertain accountability.
