At Least Nine Killed as Karachi to Dera Ghazi Khan Bus Overturns on Indus Highway in Rajanpur
RAJANPUR: The Rajanpur bus crash on the Indus Highway early on Wednesday killed at least nine passengers and left dozens injured, rescue officials said. The bus, travelling from Karachi to Dera Ghazi Khan, was speeding near Bangla Hidayat when it slammed into the central divider and overturned. Some reports put the death toll at ten, and with several of the injured in a critical condition, officials fear the number may rise. Women and children are among both the dead and the injured.
Rescue operation, emergency declared in hospitals
Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot soon after the crash and began pulling passengers from the overturned bus. The bodies and the injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Rajanpur and other nearby hospitals, where an emergency was declared. According to officials, the seriously injured were admitted for treatment while those with minor injuries were given first aid at the scene. The highway stayed closed for some time before the wreckage was cleared and traffic restored. An initial police assessment points to overspeeding and driver fatigue — the bus had reportedly covered the long journey from Karachi without a proper stop.
Chief minister takes notice
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over the loss of life and offered condolences to the bereaved families. On her instructions, the Rajanpur deputy commissioner reached the accident site to supervise the rescue work. She directed that the injured receive the best possible treatment and ordered immediate action against those responsible for the crash.
Five lives lost in Multan a day earlier
The crash came barely a day after a speeding car hit a divider and overturned on Multan’s Bosan Road, killing all five people inside. The victims belonged to Shujaabad, and their bodies were shifted to Nishtar Hospital. Two near-identical accidents in two days have again raised hard questions about speeding on Pakistan’s highways — and about how firmly the rules are enforced once a bus leaves the city behind.
