17 die as van rams into parked bus on Swat Expressway

At least 17 people died and 10 others critically wounded when a Hiace passenger van collided with a bus at Swat Expressway due to the van driver’s negligence on Monday morning, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The accident took place at the Swat Expressway near Ismailya. Eyewitnesses said that the van hit the bus from the backside. The bus was parked beside a road.

After receiving the report, Motorway Police and Rescue 1122 teams reached the site and shifted the dead bodies and injured persons to the Mardan Medical Complex.

The initial investigation revealed that the incident occurred due to the negligence and carelessness of the driver.

The bus was going from Karachi to Buner, and the van was on its way to Dir from Rawalpindi.

The crash occurred when the passenger developed a mechanical fault and stopped on the roadside.

Passengers had stepped out of the vehicle and were waiting nearby when a van lost control and ploughed into the crowd and the parked bus.

"At least 17 people have been killed and more than 10 injured," Bilal Ahmad Faizi, a rescue official told AFP, adding that three of the injured were in critical condition.

Muhammad Ali, a doctor at a local hospital receiving the victims, also confirmed the death toll.

Many of the passengers were travelling home ahead of Eid.

Road accidents remain common in Pakistan due to weak enforcement of traffic laws, speeding, poor road safety standards, and reckless driving.

Reporters: Manzoor Hussain and Tayyab Saif