20 dead in fog related accidents in south Punjab

11 of the deceased were killed in a head-on collision between a bus and two vans

MULTAN: At least 20 people were reported dead and several others were injured in six fog-related road accidents over the week.

As many as 11 passengers were killed and 30 injured in a head-on collision between a bus and two vans on Vehari Road on Thursday. Police identified the deceased as Imran, 32; Muzaffar Iqbal, 23; Muhammad Yousaf, 32; Abdul Ghafar, 52; Muhammad Imran, 35; and van driver Kashif Ali, 28. Two others could not be identified, they said. The deceased were natives of Mailsi.

Police said eight passengers had died on the spot and three at Nishtar Hospital. Doctors treating the injured said six of them were in a serious condition.

Multan CPO Azhar Akram said that there was thick fog in the area at the time of the accident.

However, he said the drivers had not taken precautions and were apparently speeding when the accident took place.

In Rahim Yar Khan, four people died and three, including two children, were injured in a collision between a car and motorcycle. Police said the car driver, who had fled the scene, was apparently under the influence when the accident took place.

They said an FIR had been registered and raids were underway to track down the suspect.

In Bahawalpur, a speeding car fell into the canal leaving four passengers dead. The bodies were recovered after a rescue operation that went on for two hours. Police said the deceased were returning from a wedding when the accident took place.

A motorcycle was run over by a bus near Adda 42 on Yazman Road killing the driver on the spot and injuring his pillion. Police identified the pillion as Ruqayya Bibi, wife of the deceased. They said she was taken to a nearby hospital.

As many as 16 people were injured in an accident on River Chenab bridge, Multan, and eight injured in an accident in Muzafargarh,

In Multan, 16 people suffered minor injuries in an accident involving five cars. Police said there was thick fog in the area when the accident took place. They said the accident might have been averted had the drivers maintained safe distance from one another.

In Muzaffargarh, eight people got injured in a collision between a bus and a motorcycle. Police said a case had been registered and teams had been formed to investigate. Police said the injured were taken to a hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2015.