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Balochistan's roads have turned synonymous with danger and death, as over 77,000 accidents and nearly 1,800 fatalities have been recorded in the past five years, exposing the Pakistani authorities' deep-seated negligence toward the province's infrastructure.
The shocking figures were revealed by the Medical Emergency Response Centre (MERC) 1122, highlighting an alarming escalation in highway tragedies, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, between October 2019 and September 2025, a total of 77,826 traffic mishaps occurred across the province, resulting in 1,743 deaths and more than 103,000 injuries. The report underlines that Balochistan now endures the highest road accident rate in Pakistan, a grim indicator of both administrative apathy and infrastructural decay. Among the worst-hit routes is the N-25 Highway (Karachi-Chaman), a crucial trade corridor and lifeline for Balochistan. This route alone witnessed 35,113 crashes and 900 fatalities. The single-lane highway, burdened by heavy trucks and reckless speeding, has deteriorated into a hazardous stretch often dubbed the "highway of death" by locals and transporters alike. The N-50 Highway (Quetta-Dera Ismail Khan) follows closely, recording 24,694 accidents and 421 deaths. MERC's findings attribute the high casualty rate to its narrow lanes, poor visibility, and absence of streetlights, making night-time travel particularly perilous. Other key routes, including the N-85 (Surab-Panjgur) and N-70 (Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan), have also become routine sites of collisions and fatalities. Despite being vital for trade and mobility, these highways remain neglected by the central authorities, reflecting Islamabad's persistent disregard for the safety and welfare of Baloch citizens, as cited by The Balochistan Post. The miserable condition of highways in Balochistan paints a stark picture of a region left behind in Pakistan's development priorities. Without urgent government intervention to expand, maintain, and properly regulate these roads, Balochistan's highways will continue to claim lives, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)
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