Pakistan bus accidents kill at least 34, authorities say
At least 34 people were killed in two separate bus accidents in Pakistan today, including 12 pilgrims who had been trying to reach Iran, rescue officials said.
In the first incident, at least 22 people died when their bus plunged into a ravine near the town of Azad Pattan, located at the border between Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
'Thus far, 22 fatalities have been confirmed, including 15 men, six women, and one child,' reported Farooq Ahmed, a spokesperson for Punjab's Rescue 1122 emergency services.
In a separate accident, 12 men were killed when their bus fell into a ravine along the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistan after being denied entry into Iran.
The crash occurred in a mountainous region approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the nearest town of Uthal and 500 kilometers from the Iranian border town of Pishin.
'The bus was transporting pilgrims heading to the Arbaeen pilgrimage, but they were turned back at the Iran border due to issues with their documents,' explained Hamood Ur Rehman, a senior government official from the nearby district of Gwadar.
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