BAHAWALPUR: Three children were killed and six others injured when their school van collided with a parked truck near Khanda Mor Adda Israni on Hasilpur Road near Khairpur Tamewali, about 40 kilometres from here, on Friday.

According to District Emergency Officer Baqir Hussain and police sources, a van was carrying nine schoolboys to Hasilpur when the driver could not spot the parked truck near Khanda Mor and the van collided with it. They said the truck also was not properly parked on roadside which resulted in the accident.

Muhammad Saad, 10, a resident of village 24/BC, died of head injury on the spot while remaining eight children were shifted to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH). Awais, 15, succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital.

Several injured in other accidents in parts of Punjab

BVH emergency ward Director Dr Aamir Bokhari said the doctors struggled to save the third child Sufian, 10, but he expired in the hospital due to head injuries. Abdul Hadi, 4, and Muwaiya, 9, were in critical condition and being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Daim, 10, Asjad, 14, Jahanzeb, 14, and Ashtafa Danin, 8, were admitted to casualty ward and were being treated there.

Police claimed to have arrested the van driver while the truck driver made good his escape.

In another accident, a driver of motorcycle loader drowned in the Abbasia link canal near Uch Sharif about 70 kilometres away from here. The Rescue 1122 officials retrieved Muhammad Zahid’s body.

BAHAWALNAGAR: Twenty people including teachers and students were injured when a van and rickshaw collided on Friday due to fog.

The accident took place at Chak 58/4R in Haroonabad. The locals said two vehicles collided in the morning rush hour and the injured included students and teachers. They said the injured were taken to hospital.

Meanwhile, a passenger coach on its way to Chishtian from Faisalabad collided with a camp next to the Katarian police check post. The accident was reported to have happened because of fog and speeding. The camp was completely destroyed but no police official was injured in the accident.

Police said bus driver Muhammad Arsalan had been arrested.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2021