Chakwal, July 27 (V7N) – At least eight people, including three children, were killed and 18 others injured in a tragic road accident near Balqasar Interchange in Chakwal district of Pakistan's northeastern Punjab province on Sunday, according to Dawn.

The accident occurred when a passenger bus traveling from Islamabad to Lahore suffered a sudden tire burst, causing the driver to lose control. The bus veered off the road, plunged into a deep roadside ditch, and overturned. There were 35 to 40 passengers on board at the time of the crash.

Among the deceased were three children, aged 8 months, 1 year, and 2 years, and the oldest victim was 45 years old. The injured ranged in age from 14 to 55.

Dr. Mukhtar Sarwar Niazi, Medical Superintendent of Chakwal District Sadar Hospital, confirmed that 12 injured passengers were brought to the hospital, and four of them remain in critical condition. They have been referred to a hospital in Rawalpindi for advanced care.

Chakwal SP Ahmed Mohiuddin dispatched a team of senior police officers to the scene. Authorities have cordoned off the area, and police have launched an investigation into the incident.

The injured are being treated at both Kalar Kahar Tehsil Sadar Hospital and Chakwal District Sadar Hospital, while the bodies of the deceased have also been transferred to hospital morgues.

Fatal road accidents are alarmingly frequent on Pakistan's highways, often attributed to speeding, negligence of traffic rules, and reckless overtaking. Sunday’s accident is a grim reminder of the urgent need for stricter road safety measures and enforcement.

END/RH/AJ