Nine Afghans killed in Balochistan road crash

Nine Afghan nationals were killed and 10 others injured when an oil tanker collided with a pickup truck in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, local media reported.

Nine Afghan citizens were killed and at least 10 others injured after an oil tanker collided with a pickup truck in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistani media reported on Sunday.

The crash occurred near the remote town of Nokkundi in Chagai district, close to the Iran border, an area frequently used by migrants travelling along unofficial and hazardous routes, according to local authorities.

Mohammad Sharif, the Chagai district police chief, said the tanker struck the pickup vehicle with significant force, killing all nine passengers on board at the scene.

Police said the injured were rushed to nearby medical facilities, adding that several victims remain in serious condition due to the severity of their injuries.

Authorities confirmed that all those killed were Afghan nationals who had entered Pakistan illegally and were attempting to travel onward to Iran and eventually Europe using smuggling networks.

International media and migration organisations say irregular migration from Afghanistan has surged since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, driven by economic collapse, rising unemployment and limited job opportunities.

Human rights groups warn that migrants using informal routes through Pakistan and Iran face serious risks, including fatal road accidents, human trafficking and abuse, underscoring the growing dangers of irregular migration from Afghanistan.

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