MULTAN: Eleven passengers were killed and 19 others injured when a bus of a private company hit a parked trailer on Motorway (M-4) near Khanewal in the early hours of Thursday morning. The tragedy took place because of fog, sources said.

The trailer was stationed near Rashida Interchange because of some fault when the Rajanpur-bound bus hit it and got overturned. Nine passengers were killed on the spot and two others died on their way to Nishtar Hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place because of the severe foggy conditions. They said that traffic cones had not been put by the motorway police around the parked trailer.

Rescue 1122 identified some of the deceased as Muhammad Sudais, Malik Mureed Hussain, Hammad, Muhammad Afzal and Fahim.

The injured, who were taken to Nishtar Hospital, were identified as Noraiz, Ayesha, Ajmal, Zulnorain, Shahid, Faiz, Muzamil, Ammara, Muhammad Aaiyan, Farzana, Shahid, Mumtaz Inaamullah, Dilshad, Muhammad Ashraf and Abu Bakr. Bus employees Jabbar and Sundas were given first aid at the scene of the crash.

After the accident, the motorway was closed for some time.

Nishtar Hospital director Dr Amjad Chandio said a total of 23 people were brought there out of whom seven were dead. Except for one, the condition of all the injured was stable, he added.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2017