A screengrab showing one of the injured students.
The school children were in a van which collided with a truck on Qazi Ahmed Road. The driver of the truck was arrested after the accident.
"It was a head-on collision when the truck slammed into the school van on a single track dirt road. Apparently, speeding and recklessness resulted in the accident," Abdul Rahim Gopang, a police officer, said over the phone to Reuters.
"All our dreams have been shattered. How can I live without my child," a weeping Muhammad Akram, who lost his only son in the accident, said by telephone from the hospital.
The injured were shifted to PMC hospital where emergency was declared after the incident. The hospital administration has requested for blood donation.
Three of the children are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and, according to the hospital staff, if their condition does not approve they will be taken to Karachi for treatment.
The total number of students on board is not known as yet.
According to initial details, the students were leaving Nawabshah to attend a sports competition in another city. The children were 10 to 15 years old.
A few injured students are reportedly in critical condition.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain expressed grief over the loss of lives.
Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has asked for a report into the accident from IG Sindh.
Multan
In a separate traffic accident in Multan, a collision between a truck and rickshaw left 13 schoolchildren injured.
Six of these children, as well as the rickshaw driver, are critically injured. The driver of the truck has absconded.
COMMENTS (16)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
life is too short and we are no one to blame anyone.we only can improve ourselves and can learn a lesson from thse things. MAY ALLAH ALMIGHTY gve patience to families.
this case is very terriable,bcz there were all cute bbz and their nice teachrz, i m very very upset, may God rest their souls,and also patience to their lvly mom, pap,sis,bro,aunt,uncl, be human my dear politicians,thnk u,
This is really sad. I truly am. But let us also blame this on PTI.
Really a huge tragedy. Am at a complete Loss of words to express my sadness.
It seems in our part of the world, lives of ordinary human beings just don't matter. Our systems function such for the VIPs and their lackeys. Can anyone please tell me that how many more children have to die before standards are laid down for the buses and vans which ferry them. My heart goes out to the bereaved families.
My Heart bleeds, is anything left worse for my country my beautiful land .. may God have mercy on us all.. Ameen
Sympathies.Its not only Pakistan, the whole subcontinent is like this.No value for life.We will never be civilized again.
RIP. I suppose nothing we say now can pacify those parents .
Horrific. Prayers go to the families
Oh God,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, So sad
sad. There is no check for buses carrying students.
Why do government functionaries even go through the motions when we all - them and us - know that nothing is going to happen. No real fact-finding, no reforms based on those facts ( such as better speed monitoring, real reform of traffic police, more allocation of resources, etc )