At least 5 passengers killed in Rajanpur accident
Around 35 passengers were returning to Gujranwala after attending an Urs ceremony at Nairian area near Kotli when bus fell into a deep ravine. PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN
At least five passengers were reported to have been killed in a road accident in Rajanpur district on Sunday.
The accident occurred as a bus overturned due to overspeeding in Fazilpur Tehsil of Rajanpur, as a result of which five people were killed while 20 were seriously injured, reported Express News.
District in-charge of Rescue Dr Aslam has confirmed the death toll and added that at least 20 were seriously injured in the accident. "But all the injured have been shifted to the district and Fazilpur hospitals," he informed.
On July 20, four members of the same family were killed with two others in an accident when a tourist bus fell off a cliff on a curvy mountainous road in the Diamer area of Gilgit.
Twelve people from Syed Ijaz's family were on board the ill-fated bus, out of which four were killed and eight were injured. Among the injured are Syed Ijaz's brother Syed Zubair's wife and three young children.
The family had gone on a tour of northern areas on a tourist bus. However, that bus fell into a ditch on the Karakoram Highway in the Thalachi area of the Diamer district.
Earlier in June, it was reported that the tragic accident in the Salt Range portion of the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway that claimed 13 lives was a result of ‘criminal’ negligence, according to the complaint filed by the motorway police at the Kallar Kahar police station.
The complaint noted that passengers had notified the bus owner as well as the station manager that the vehicle had complications but their concerns were dismissed.
At least 32 people were on board the bus which lost control near Point 224 of the Lahore-Islamabad motorway and crashed through the safety barrier and also crushed an oncoming vehicle on the other track of the highway.
The accident had once again highlighted the critical issue of road safety in the country. The filing of a criminal complaint against the bus driver, owner and others involved in the incident reflects the urgent need for immediate attention to prevent such tragedies.