Representative image of a road accident.
Credit: iStock Photo
Islamabad/Lahore: At least ten people were killed and over two dozen injured on Sunday in a bus accident in Pakistan, officials said.
The bus with 40 passengers onboard, travelling from Islamabad to Lahore through the M-2 motorway, fell into a ditch near Balkassar in the Punjab province's Chakwal district.
According to a spokesperson of the Chakwal Rescue 1122 emergency services, the bus driver lost control after one of the tyres burst, causing the vehicle to overturn and fall into a ditch.
“Nine people died in the accident and 30 were injured,” Dr Saeed Akhter, chief executive officer of the Chakwal District Health Authority (DHA), said in a statement.
Eight passengers died on the spot, while two succumbed to injuries at the hospital. The bus driver and four children were among the dead.
All the deceased and injured were shifted to a government hospital in Chakwal.
According to emergency services, Emy Dela Cruz, a Filipino woman, was also among the wounded.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over the accident and directed the health authorities to provide the best treatment to the injured.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan and are often caused by careless driving and poor road conditions.