Gilgit (Correspondent): A passenger bus enroute to Rawalpindi from Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan met with a tragic accident at Shatial Kohistan leaving more than 18 people dead, 2 missing and several injured.
According to police, the bus collided with a car that caused both the bus and the car to fall into a deep ditch.
According to reports, there were 24 people in the bus while 6 people were in the car of which 18 people died in the accident. Two children are reportedly missing.
According to Diamer police and rescue 1122, the bodies and the injured have been shifted to the regional headquarters hospital Chilas.
Rescue 1122 and police reached the spot and started rescue operations as soon as they received information of the incident.
Due to the darkness, difficulties were faced in the rescue and relief operations. The news of the tragic incident had spead sadness across Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to sources, the accident occurred due to high speed. The condition of some of the ten injured persons is said to be critical.
It is pertinent to note that several tragic accidents have taken place on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in the past too causing loss of hundreds of precious lives.
After this accident, questions are being raised about the fitness of the passenger vehicles and the public is demanding that motorway-style police be deployed on this highway.
