Over 25 killed in Pakistan's road accidents due to fog, overspeeding

At least 26 people were killed and dozens more injured in separate road accidents reported from Balochistan and Punjab provinces on Saturday, highlighting ongoing concerns over road safety, speeding, and poor visibility conditions across Pakistan.

In the first incident, nine people lost their lives, and 36 others sustained injuries when a passenger coach overturned on the Makran Coastal Highway near Gwadar in Balochistan, as per local media reports.

In a separate tragic incident in Punjab’s Sargodha district, at least 14 people were killed after a mini-truck plunged into a dry canal amid dense fog. The accident occurred near Ghalapur Bangla in Kot Momin tehsil, where extremely low visibility led the vehicle to veer off the road.

Rescue 1122 officials said that the pre-dawn crash happened when the vehicle veered off the road due to poor visibility and plunged into the Ghalapur Bangla canal in Kot Momin area.

The canal was dry at the time of the mishap, the officials said, adding that several passengers were crushed beneath the truck and died on the spot.

At the time of the accident, 23 people were travelling in the truck from Islamabad to Faisalabad to attend a funeral.

Due to motorway closures caused by fog, the driver had opted for a local route. Women and children were among the deceased, all of whom belonged to Islamabad.

Rescue teams carried out relief operations and shifted the bodies and injured to the THQ hospital, while authorities reiterated the need for caution during adverse weather and strict enforcement of traffic safety regulations.

Emergency workers reached the scene quickly and started rescue operations. The bodies of the victims and the injured were pulled out and shifted to nearby Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) hospital where seven more people died during treatment.

The deceased include six children and five women. The passengers were on their way to attend a funeral.

Most parts of the Punjab province is currently in grip of thick fog that reduces visibility on roads.

Officials said the poor visibility due to fog made driving extremely dangerous in the area during winter mornings and nights. They urged motorists to slow down and take extra care during foggy conditions to avoid such accidents.

In a separate fog-related accident, a man also lost his life and two others sustained critical injuries in Lahore. Police said that their motorcycle collided with a stationary tractor-trolley during heavy fog on Gurumangat Road in the Gulberg area.

As a result, M Wasi died on the spot, while Abdul Razzaq and Abdul Hadi suffered serious injuries.

A similar incident caused by poor visibility amid thick fog took place in Dera Ismail Khan earlier this week when two people were killed and 14 others injured in a collision between a sugar-laden trailer and a passenger van.

The accident took place near Basti Dawana, within the limits of Taunsa Sharif, on the Indus Highway on Tuesday.

According to reports, the trailer loaded with sugar was traveling from Rahim Yar Khan to Kohat, while the passenger van was on its way from Rammak to Multan.

A tractor-trolley loaded with sugarcane was parked on the roadside, and dense fog had severely reduced visibility.

According to police, the first accident occurred near the Hudd Goth area of Ormara, Balochistan, when a Karachi-bound coach, travelling from Jiwani, lost control and overturned. The vehicle belonged to a private transport company, Al Usman.

At least 10 people died when a speeding passenger coach overturns on the Makran Coastal Highway. Photo / X

Coastal Highway police said preliminary investigations indicated overspeeding as the main cause of the crash. Superintendent of Police Aslam Bangulzai stated that the driver failed to control the vehicle due to excessive speed, resulting in the deadly accident. Rescue teams rushed to the scene soon after the incident and shifted the injured and deceased to Ormara Tehsil Hospital.

Hospital authorities confirmed that several injured passengers were in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could rise.

Police said further investigations were underway and details regarding the driver and the transport company were being collected.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families. He directed the Gwadar deputy commissioner to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured and ordered that ambulance services be provided to transport the bodies to the victims’ native areas.