20 passengers perish in Chilas bus plunge

At least 20 passengers died and another two dozen were injured as a bus travelling from Rawalpindi to Hunza Valley plunged into a ravine on Karakoram Highway in Chilas city of Gilgit Baltistan on Friday morning.

According to 24NewsHD TV channel, the bus carrying over 40 passengers met the accident while it was negotiating a sharp turn near Yashkul Das area.

The driver lost control of the vehicle on a bend on Karakoram Highway around dawn, falling into a rocky ravine where the River Indus flows.

"The local Ulema announced the news of the accident from the loudspeaker of the mosque and urged the people to donate blood for the injured," Azmat Shah, a police official in the city told AFP.

"Rescue operations have been completed. Among the 21 injured, the condition of 10 was very critical." Ten seriously injured passengers were rushed to Gilgit in a helicopter.

Personnel from Army, GB Scouts, police and Rescue 1122 took part the relief operation.

Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq confirmed that the injured persons have been shifted to a hospital and many of them were in serious condition.

Faizullah Faraq said an emergency has been announced in Chilas Hospital fearing more deaths and rescue teams are operating at the accident site.

GB Spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said the accident with bus registration number 8831 occurred due to overspeeding at Yashkul Das, 20 km away from Chilas City near the Gounar Farm on the Karakoram Highway.

The GB spokespersons said the accident took place at around 5 am and many women and children were on board.

GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan expressed regret over the bus accident and directed the Chilas administration and rescue teams to provide all medical assistance to the injured.

Road accidents with high fatalities are common in Pakistan, where safety measures are lax, driver training is poor and transport infrastructure often decrepit.

President, PM condole deaths in Chilas accident

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the loss of precious lives in a bus accident that took place near Chilas. The president prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families to bear the loss.

He also prayed for the quick recovery of those injured in the accident.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives in a bus accident that took place on the Karakoram Highway in Chilas.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has expressed his heartfelt condolences over the loss of precious lives in Chilas bus accident.

He prayed for patience for the family members of the victims and for the early recovery of the injured.

Reporters: Umar Farooq and Samiullah