RAWALPINDI, June 18: Ten passengers were killed and another 45 were injured on Saturday night when a bus plunged into a deep ravine at ‘Bais Meel’, Chatar Park near Tret police chowki, about 25 kilometres from Islamabad, , police and hospital officials said.
The bus (RIR-532) carrying 55 pilgrims was on its way from a shrine near Murree to Gujar Khan when it plunged into a deep ravine near Tret police chowki. The vehicle was speeding while negotiating a short bend.
As a result, 10 people were killed on the spot and another 45 sustained injuries.
A police official said that those travelling on the rooftop of the bus were most vulnerable and most of the fatalities were from amongst them. The pilgrims who were inside the vehicle were relatively safe for they only sustained minor cuts and bruises.
The injured were taken to Rawalpindi General Hospital, Federal Government Services Hospital and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
Police said the devotees, most of them from Gujar Khan, were returning after attending the Urs of Pir Lal Hussain in Murree.
The police rescue teams and ambulances from different hospitals of Islamabad also reached the scene, although the site of the crash fell under the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi.
The victims trapped in the wreckage of the bus were pulled out by the rescuers and shifted to Pims and other hospitals.
Emergency was declared in all the hospitals in the twin cities as the dead and injured were taken to hospital. Rescuers were facing difficulties due to darkness and lack of emergency equipment.
According to police and hospital officials, the death toll could rise as five of those injured were still in critical condition.
