GUJRAT/LAHORE: At least five passengers died and 27 others were injured when a bus plunged into a drain, allegedly when its driver dozed off near Fatehke Burj Wah, Kot Nakka village of Pindi Bhattian tehsil in Hafizabad district, in the wee hours of Thursday.

The bus was going to Chiniot from Lahore, carrying around 60 passengers, says an official of Hafizabad district administration.

The incident, he says, occurred around 4.45am when the driver allegedly dozed off and lost control over the bus while negotiating a sharp turn on the road.

As a result, the bus plunged into the drain after breaking the iron fence along the bridge over it.

On being informed of the incident, Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot and launched an operation to rescue the passengers trapped inside and beneath the overturned vehicle.

With the assistance of the local government, a crane was brought in to lift the bus, enabling the rescuers to recover the bodies of five passengers from underneath the vehicle.

The deceased were identified as Ahmad, 18, Adil, 20, Mazakar Mubeen, 26, Arslan Farooq, 27 and Muhammad Ali, 28.

Of the 27 injured, 20 were shifted toPindi Bhattian Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital after provision of first aid, while seven others were treated at the scene and did not require hospitalisation. The victims’ bodies were also shifted to the THQ hospital.

Rescue 1122 deployed five emergency vehicles, including ambulances and a fire-engine, to conduct the operation.Hafizabad Deputy Commissioner Syed Hussain Bahadar and District Police Officer (DPO) Fawad Ahmed also reached the scene and later visited the hospital to inquire after the injured persons.

Pindi Bhattian Assistant Commissioner Rab Deeno gave a briefing on the incident.

The DC directed the hospital administration to provide the best-possible medical treatment and other facilities to the injured.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2026