CHAKWAL, July 27, 2025 — At least eight people, including three children, were killed and 18 others injured early Sunday morning after a passenger bus overturned and fell into a ditch near the Balkasar Interchange on the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M2) in Chakwal district, Punjab.
According to Rescue 1122 and Motorway Police, the private bus was travelling from Islamabad to Lahore when one of its front tyres burst near the Balkasar Interchange. The driver lost control, causing the vehicle to plunge into a roadside ditch and overturn.
The crash killed eight passengers on the spot. The deceased included 35-year-old Habiba, 8-month-old Haider, 26-year-old Ume Habiba, a one-year-old unidentified child, 14-year-old Khadija, 2-year-old Haram, 45-year-old Sardar Nadeem, and 38-year-old Mansha Begum. Most victims suffered fatal head injuries.
Rescue 1122 dispatched six vehicles and 25 responders to the crash site. Teams from the National Highways and Motorway Police, Chakwal police, and the Frontier Works Organisation also joined the rescue efforts. Minor injuries were treated on-site, while critically wounded passengers were transported to Kallar Kahar Tehsil Headquarters Hospital and Chakwal District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.
Dr. Mukhtar Sarwar Niazi, Medical Superintendent at Chakwal DHQ, confirmed that four out of 12 patients brought there were in critical condition and were being referred to Rawalpindi.
The injured ranged from 14 to 55 years of age and included Sana (20), Hajra (25), Saqib (30), Shazia (50), Mehrab (18), Kiran (48), Sakina (35), Zara, Fahad Majid, Haseeb, Hayat Ullah, Zahra (25), Asia (55), Abeeha (2), Mohsin Khalil (26), Zohaib (20), Adnan (38), and Rehan (16). Injuries varied from head wounds and fractures to cuts and abrasions.
Chakwal District Police Officer Ahmed Mohiuddin took notice of the incident and dispatched a senior team to the scene. “The site has been cordoned off and the police are taking action in accordance with the law,” a spokesperson said.
Chakwal Rescue and Safety Officer Shaukat Ali praised the swift emergency response but urged the public to conduct proper vehicle inspections — especially of tyres, brakes, and steering systems — before setting out on long journeys.
Fatal accidents on Pakistan’s motorways remain a recurring tragedy. On July 13, six people were killed and 27 injured in a similar crash near the Chakri Interchange. Earlier, on February 28, eight people lost their lives and more than 40 were injured when a bus fell into a ditch near Bhagal village, also near Balkasar.
Authorities have launched an inquiry into Sunday’s incident to determine whether mechanical failure, driver negligence, or poor vehicle maintenance were contributing factors.
