Tragic bus accidents in Pakistan claim several lives

At least 40 people, including 11 Shiite pilgrims, were killed and several others injured in two separate bus crashes in Pakistan on Sunday, officials said.

The first accident occurred when a bus carrying around 70 pilgrims returning from Iraq via Iran overturned on the Makran coastal road and fell into a ditch, police said. At least 11 people were killed and 35 others injured in the accident in Balochistan province, over 100 kilometers from Karachi.

Hours later, 29 people were killed and three others injured when a coastal bus carrying 30 people plunged into a ditch in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, said Qamar Nadeem of the Edhi Foundation, which runs the largest private rescue service. Deputy Commissioner Sadhanoti Umar Farooq said the victims were from Sadhanoti district. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed condolences over the deaths.

(With contributions from agencies.)