PESHAWAR: The death toll from a tragic collision between a passenger van and a bus on the Swat Expressway has risen to 18 after two more injured victims succumbed to their injuries during treatment late Monday night.
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According to officials at Mardan Medical Complex, the bodies of all deceased victims have been handed over to their families, while five injured passengers remain under treatment in various wards of the hospital.
Hospital authorities stated that the injured are being provided with the best possible medical care. Several of the victims were reported to be in critical condition when they were shifted to the medical facility following the accident.
The fatal crash occurred earlier on Monday on the Swat Motorway when a speeding van rammed into a bus parked on the roadside from behind. Officials from the motorway police said preliminary investigations suggested negligence and reckless driving by the van driver caused the accident.
According to police officials, the passenger bus was travelling from Karachi to Buner, while the van was en route from Rawalpindi to Dir at the time of the collision.
Rescue teams and motorway police reached the site shortly after the accident and shifted the injured and deceased to nearby hospitals. The accident caused severe traffic disruption on the motorway for several hours as rescue and clearance operations continued.
Road accidents caused by speeding and careless driving remain a serious concern across Pakistan, with authorities frequently urging motorists to follow traffic rules and avoid reckless behaviour on highways and motorways.
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Officials said further investigations into the incident are underway to determine additional factors that may have contributed to the deadly crash.