14 killed, 29 injured in Jhang road crash

Van collides head-on with university bus while overtaking tractor-trolley

JHANG:

At least 14 people were killed and 29 others injured in a road accident on the Faisalabad Road near Quli Faqeer Stop when a speeding passenger van collided head-on with a bus of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS).

Police sources said the passenger van was travelling from Faisalabad to Jhang when the driver attempted to overtake a tractor-trolley loaded with sugarcane

During the risky manoeuvre, the van veered into the opposite lane and rammed into an oncoming university bus. The UVAS bus was carrying students to Lahore to participate in a sports gala.

Due to the severity of the collision, nine people died on the spot, while 29 sustained injuries, three of whom were reported to be in critical condition.

Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the scene and shifted the injured to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital after providing first aid.

Five more injured passengers later succumbed to their wounds at the hospital, raising the death toll to 14.

Deputy Commissioner Ali Akbar and District Police Officer Bilal Iftikhar reached the accident site soon after receiving information and directed health authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif took notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from the district administration.

She instructed the deputy commissioner to personally monitor the treatment of the injured and ensure all possible medical facilities.

The deceased were identified as van driver Ali Haider, Faizan, Muhammad Rafiq, Sami Anjum, Rubia and her two-year-old son Muhammad Musa, Kishwar Bibi, Barkat, Abdul Rasheed and his wife Shehnaz Bibi and Sultan Ahmed.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident, while eyewitnesses blamed over-speeding and reckless overtaking for the tragic crash.