JHANG:
At least 14 people were killed and 29 others injured in a road accident on Faisalabad Road near Quli Faqeer stop when a speeding passenger van collided head-on with a University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) bus.
Police sources said the passenger van was traveling from Faisalabad to Jhang when the driver tried to overtake a truck loaded with sugarcane.
During the risky maneuver, the van veered into the opposite lane and hit a university bus that was traveling in the opposite direction. The UVAS bus was transporting students to Lahore to participate in a sports gala.
Due to the severity of the collision, nine people died at the scene, while 29 were injured, three of whom were in critical condition.
1122 rescue teams rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to the district headquarters hospital (DHQ) after providing first aid.
Five more injured passengers later succumbed to their injuries in 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 the 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 ordered the deputy commissioner to personally supervise the treatment of the injured and ensure all possible medical facilities.
The deceased were identified as the van driver Ali Haider, Faizan, Muhammad Rafiq, Sami Anjum, Rubia and his 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 witnesses blamed speeding and reckless overtaking for the tragic accident.
