Passenger Bus in Pakistan Crashes, Catches Fire Killing 40

In southern Pakistan on Sunday, a passenger bus crashed into a ravine and caught fire, killing 40 people, a government official said.

From Quetta in the Balochistan province to Karachi in the adjoining Sindh province, the bus was transporting 44 passengers. The mishap happened in the Lasbela district, close to the town of Bela.

Assistant commissioner in Bela, Hamza Anjum Nadeem, reported that 40 bodies, including women and children, had been found. Four people who were hurt were saved.

"The bus struck a bridge pillar as a result of overspeeding in the accident. Soon after it fell into the ravine, it caught fire, he claimed.

The bodies, which according to Nadeem were beyond salvagable, are being taken to Karachi for DNA testing. The bodies will be given to the victims' families after being identified.

The rescue operation was conducted out by firefighters and employees of the Edhi Welfare Foundation and the Lasbela Welfare Trust.

Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, the chief minister of Balochistan, expressed his sadness over the deaths and commanded officials to give the injured the best medical care possible.

In Pakistan, thousands of people die in traffic accidents each year as a result of violations of the country's traffic laws.