Pakistan bus plunge kills 40 near Balochistan-KP border on Sherani-Zhob highway
Synopsis
A bus carrying 48 passengers from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a ravine on the Sherani-Zhob highway on 3 July, killing 40 people — one of Pakistan's deadliest single-vehicle road accidents in recent memory. It is the third major fatal road crash reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining areas in under two months, raising sharp questions about highway safety on Pakistan's mountainous inter-provincial routes.
Key Takeaways
40 people killed and eight injured after a bus plunged into a ravine on the Sherani–Zhob highway on 3 July .
The bus was carrying 48 passengers and travelling from Quetta to Peshawar .
Eight survivors were taken to the DHQ Hospital in Zhob after initial on-site treatment.
Rescue 1122 is coordinating with Emergency Services Balochistan at the site.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the crash.
Pakistan has recorded multiple fatal road accidents in the same region in the past two months.
At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured after a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in the Danasar area on the Sherani–Zhob highway, near the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in Pakistan, on Friday, 3 July. The bus, carrying 48 passengers, was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when the accident occurred, according to local media reports citing the Medical Emergency Response Centre (MERC).
Casualties and Rescue Operations
All 40 bodies were recovered from the accident site, while the eight survivors were initially given emergency medical assistance at the scene before being transferred to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Zhob. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi confirmed the passenger count and the initial on-site treatment of the injured.
Rescue teams and ambulances from the Sherani district administration were rapidly deployed to the site. According to Faizi, Rescue 1122 personnel are operating in coordination with Emergency Services Balochistan and other relevant agencies to assist the injured and support the families of those killed.
Investigation Underway
Authorities have launched a formal probe to determine the cause of the crash, according to reports. The precise reason for the bus veering off the highway into the ravine has not yet been established.
A Recurring Crisis on Pakistan's Roads
This tragedy is the latest in a string of fatal road accidents across Pakistan in recent months. In May, at least 16 people were killed and seven injured when a passenger coach collided with a stationary bus in the Khoro Kotay Saeedabad area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — the coach, heading to Swat, had reportedly suffered a mechanical fault before the collision.
Separately, on 10 May, at least five people were killed and 10 others injured after a passenger van fell into a ravine in Swat's Charbagh tehsil. Reports indicated the victims were members of a family travelling from Adu to Ganajir for a wedding, and that the accident was apparently caused by brake failure.
What Happens Next
The findings of the official investigation are awaited. Pakistan's highway network — particularly mountain routes connecting Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — has repeatedly been flagged for poor road conditions, overloaded vehicles, and inadequate safety enforcement. Friday's disaster, with 40 fatalities from a single bus, underscores the urgency of structural road-safety reforms in the country.
Point of View
Like many inter-provincial mountain routes, combines steep gradients, poorly maintained road surfaces, and chronically overloaded vehicles with minimal enforcement. What is missing from the official response is any structural accountability: probes are announced after each tragedy, yet the cycle repeats within weeks, as the May incidents confirm. Until Pakistan ties highway operator licences and vehicle fitness certificates to verifiable compliance outcomes, these investigations will remain procedural rather than preventive.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people were killed in the Pakistan bus accident on 3 July 2025?
At least 40 people were killed when a bus plunged into a ravine on the Sherani-Zhob highway near the Balochistan-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border on 3 July. Eight others survived and were hospitalised in Zhob.
Where exactly did the bus accident occur?
The accident occurred in the Danasar area on the Sherani-Zhob highway, near the border between Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The bus was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar at the time.
What caused the bus to fall into the ravine?
The cause has not yet been officially determined. Authorities have initiated a formal probe into the accident. No mechanical or driver-related cause has been confirmed as of the latest reports.
Which rescue agencies responded to the accident?
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122, Emergency Services Balochistan, and the Sherani district administration all responded to the scene. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi confirmed that agencies are coordinating relief and supporting victims' families.
Is this part of a broader road safety problem in Pakistan?
Yes. Pakistan has recorded several fatal road accidents in the same region in recent months. In May, at least 16 people were killed in a coach collision in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and five more died in a separate ravine accident in Swat on 10 May, highlighting persistent road safety failures on inter-provincial routes.
