Murree School Bus Crash Kills Driver, Injures 30
A Murree school bus crash on the Expressway Link Road near Shawala killed the driver and injured 30 of the 40 people on board on Tuesday, after the bus overturned.
Three of the injured were in critical condition. Rescue teams pulled the injured from the wreckage and shifted them to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Murree, where they were receiving treatment. Another account said 19 of the injured were taken to Civil Hospital, Murree, and 11 to private hospitals.
The bus belonged to Al-Hamd Public Model School, Chadiyala Khurd, near Aimenabad in Gujranwala. It was returning to Gujranwala after a recreational trip to Murree when the driver lost control and the bus overturned near Shawala, triggering panic among the passengers. The driver died on the spot.
Rescue operation at the scene
Teams from Rescue 1122 Murree rushed to the scene after receiving information about the accident and launched a rescue operation. Rescuers pulled the injured passengers out of the wreckage and gave them first aid before shifting 30 injured students and staff members to hospital.
Local residents also took part in the rescue efforts and helped the injured. Murree Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi and other district administration officials reached the site and supervised the rescue operation.
The crash happened on one of the busiest tourist routes in the country. The Expressway Link Road carries thousands of visitors to Murree each week, and school trips are a regular sight on the road during the season.
Road safety after the Murree school bus crash
The accident is a fresh reminder of the risks on hill roads, where a single loss of control can turn a school trip into a tragedy. Buses carrying children need roadworthy vehicles, trained drivers and strict checks before they set off, above all on winding routes.
The authorities have not yet said what caused the driver to lose control. Police are expected to examine the vehicle and the road conditions at the spot where the bus overturned.
Tourist transport safety has been under the spotlight in the hills before. The jeep terminal at Saiful Muluk lake was shifted one kilometre from the lake in a move linked to visitor safety, and Galiyat is set to treat 95 per cent of hotel wastewater as the hill stations try to cope with growing visitor numbers.
Enforcement on the roads is also tightening elsewhere. Lahore has doubled e-challan fines if they go unpaid for 10 days, and Abdul Majeed Achakzai received a 10-year sentence in a traffic case.
What happens next
The immediate focus is the injured, above all the three in critical condition at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Murree. The school, the district administration and the police will need to answer how a recreational trip ended with a driver dead and 30 children and staff in hospital.
For parents across Punjab, the crash will raise hard questions about the buses schools hire for trips, the drivers behind the wheel and the checks that should happen before a single child boards.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the Murree school bus crash happen?
The bus overturned near Shawala on the Expressway Link Road near Murree while returning to Gujranwala after a recreational trip.
How many people were injured in the Murree school bus crash?
Thirty of the 40 people on board were injured, three of them critically, and the driver was killed on the spot.
Which school owned the bus?
The bus belonged to Al-Hamd Public Model School, Chadiyala Khurd, near Aimenabad in Gujranwala.
Where were the injured taken?
Rescue 1122 Murree shifted the injured to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Murree, after giving first aid at the scene.
