Accessibility links

Breaking News

At Least 20 Killed In Road Crash In Southern Pakistan


FILE: Pakistani security officials inspect the wreckage of a passenger bus at the scene of an accident in Khairpur district of southern Sindh province in 2014.
FILE: Pakistani security officials inspect the wreckage of a passenger bus at the scene of an accident in Khairpur district of southern Sindh province in 2014.

Officials say a head-on collision between a minibus and a truck loaded with coal in southern Pakistan has left at least 20 people dead and several others injured.

Local police officer Rahmatullah Solangi told RFE/RL that the accident occurred in "heavy fog" on a road in Sindh Province's Khairpur district on November 20.

Another police officer, Rab Nawaz, said that the death toll could rise as some of the injured were in critical condition.

The van's passengers included women and children.

Police said the initial investigation suggests that at least one of the vehicles was speeding and that visibility was poor due to a thick morning fog.

Traffic accidents are common in Pakistan, where poor road conditions, poorly maintained vehicles, and disregard for safety standards and traffic rules by drivers cause more than 5,000 deaths every year, according to government statistics.

With reporting by dpa, AP, and Dawn

XS
SM
MD
LG