30 killed in Kohistan bus-car collision

F.P. Report
KOHISTAN: At least 30 people were killed on Tuesday night while many others were injured when a passenger bus plunged into a ditch after colliding with a car on the Karakoram Highway near Shatial area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kohistan district.
Speaking to media, Diamer SSP Sher Khan said the accident occurred when a bus travelling from GB’s Ghizer district to Rawalpindi collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction. “Sixteen passengers travelling in the bus and five people travelling in the car lost their lives,” he said, adding that the GB police were also taking part in the rescue operation. He added that officials were collecting information on how many people were on board the bus as well as the number of people travelling in the car. “A search and rescue operation is currently under way.”
Meanwhile, GB Information Minister Fatehullah Khan said he had only received confirmation of 30 deaths so far. GB Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed, Governor Syed Mehdi Shah and GB Assembly Opposition Leader Amjad Advocate expressed grief over the lives lost in the incident.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed his deep shock and grief over the tragic road accident near Chilas on the Karakorum Highway, which caused the loss of precious human lives. He prayed for the departed souls and expressed his condolences with the bereaved families. The Prime Minister also prayed for the early recovery of the injured and directed the authorities concerned to provide all possible medical aid to the injured.