Uthal crash: 12 killed, 22 injured as coach and minibus collide in Balochistan
A passenger coach and a minibus collided head-on near Zero Point in Uthal on the Quetta-Karachi highway on Friday, killing at least 12 people, with seven of the injured in serious condition.
At a glance
- At least 12 people were killed and about 22 injured when a passenger coach and a minibus collided head-on near Zero Point, Uthal, in Lasbela district on Friday, October 23, 2026.
- Police said seven people died at the scene and five later in hospital; women and children were among the dead and injured.
- The coach was travelling from Gwadar to Karachi and the minibus from Bela towards Karachi; most casualties were in the minibus.
- Seven injured passengers were in serious condition and were referred to hospitals in Karachi.
- Police have opened an investigation; the cause has not been officially confirmed.
At least 12 people were killed and about 22 injured on Friday, October 23, 2026, when a passenger coach and a minibus collided head-on near Zero Point in Uthal, Lasbela district, on the Quetta-Karachi highway in Balochistan, police and rescue officials said. Seven of the injured were in serious condition and were moved to hospitals in Karachi.
What happened
According to police, the coach was travelling from Gwadar towards Karachi when it struck a minibus coming from Bela near the Zero Point junction outside Uthal, where the road bends. Seven passengers died at the scene and five more died after being taken to hospital. Most of the dead and injured were travelling in the minibus.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, October 23, 2026 |
| Place | Zero Point, Uthal, Lasbela district, Balochistan |
| Road | N-25 Quetta-Karachi highway |
| Vehicles | Passenger coach (Gwadar–Karachi) and minibus (Bela–Karachi) |
| Killed | At least 12 (7 at scene, 5 in hospital) |
| Injured | About 22, seven in serious condition |
The medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital in Uthal, Dr Awais Wajid, said women and children were among the dead and injured. Accounts of how many of the victims were men and women differed in the first hours, and officials had not released a full list of names by Friday evening.
Edhi volunteers, police, rescue teams, district officials and local residents moved the injured first to nearby hospitals; most were then referred to Karachi for further treatment. Police worked to reopen the highway, where traffic was blocked for several hours.
Cause under investigation
Police have launched an investigation. Some local officials pointed to over-speeding and possible driver negligence on the curve, but no official cause had been confirmed.
Background: Balochistan's deadly highways
The crash is the latest in a series on Balochistan's roads in October alone:
| Date (2026) | Place | Toll |
|---|---|---|
| October 13 | Badrang, Mastung | 4 killed, 5 injured |
| October 19 | Darbi, Bolan | 4 killed |
| October 21 | Rajanpur, Punjab (bus overturned) | 10 killed, 44 injured |
| October 23 | Zero Point, Uthal | 12 killed, 22 injured |
In July, at least 40 people died when a Quetta-Peshawar coach fell into a ravine on the Sherani-Zhob road. Rescue officials recorded more than 24,000 road accidents in Balochistan in 2025, with over 415 deaths and nearly 30,000 people injured. The N-25, which links Quetta with Karachi through Khuzdar, Bela, Uthal and Hub, is the province's most accident-prone route.
Why it matters
The N-25 is a lifeline for southern Balochistan: coaches carry workers, families and patients between Gwadar, Turbat, Lasbela and Karachi every day, and trucks use it to move goods to and from the coast. Much of it is a single carriageway without a central divider, which makes head-on collisions especially deadly. Successive governments have promised to turn it into a dual carriageway; work has started on some sections, but most of the route is still single-lane.
What happens next
- Police are expected to identify the drivers' responsibility and the vehicles' fitness as part of their investigation.
- Bodies are being handed over to families after formalities at the Uthal hospital.
- Injured passengers remain under treatment in Karachi, and officials have warned that the toll could rise.
Road safety advice for N-25 travellers
- Avoid night travel where possible and choose operators with a good safety record.
- Ask drivers to slow down on curves and wear a seat belt if one is fitted.
- In an emergency, call Rescue 1122 or Edhi (115).
Questions people are asking
How many people died in the Uthal accident?
At least 12 people were killed and about 22 injured in the coach-minibus collision near Zero Point, Uthal, on October 23, 2026, according to police and rescue officials.
Where is Uthal?
Uthal is the headquarters town of Lasbela district in southern Balochistan, on the N-25 Quetta-Karachi highway about 120 km north-west of Karachi.
Why are there so many accidents on the Quetta-Karachi highway?
The N-25 is a mostly single-carriageway road with heavy coach and truck traffic, sharp curves and limited lighting. Rescue officials have identified it as Balochistan's most accident-prone route.
