Police said the accident was apparently caused by brake failure. The injured, including women and children, were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for treatment.
Balochistan Chief Minister s Adviser on Media Shahid Rind confirmed the death toll, saying the accident occurred in the border region between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said rescue operations were underway with teams from both provincial governments, while the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Health Department, Frontier Corps (FC) and other agencies had been mobilised. He also thanked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for its support in the rescue efforts.
According to preliminary information, the bus was carrying passengers beyond its capacity, including travellers from another bus that had broken down earlier.
Rind said the district administration was investigating the exact cause of the accident, while efforts were continuing to identify the victims and provide medical treatment to the injured.
He said the Balochistan government shared the grief of the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured, adding that the findings of the investigation would be made public after its completion.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and directed the relevant authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care. He said the entire nation stood in solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives.
