Five people were killed and at least 25 were injured as a high-speed passenger bus overturned near Nawan Kot in Layyah on Sunday, following which a case was registered against the highway road contractor as the accident occurred due to concrete being laid on the road.

Layyah District Police Officer Ali Waseem confirmed to Dawn.com the deaths of five people in the accident.

According to a statement by Rescue 1122, the passenger bus was carrying devotees of Bibi Pak Daman in Lahore to Karor Lal Eesan Tehsil. At least 33 people were injured, the statement said, adding that six of the injured were in critical condition.

The statement also said that a rescue operation was underway which was being supervised by District Emergency Officer Sajjad Ahmed.

The Chobara police registered the case against the contractor upon the complaint of the grandson of a deceased passenger under Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 322 (causing death by rash or negligent driving), 337-G (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 422 (dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The first information report (FIR) said five people, including the bus driver, died while 25 others were injured in the accident after the bus overturned in the Nawan Kot area.

“The contractor was charged with blocking the road by piling gravel and not installing signboards,” the FIR said.

The deceased and the injured were moved to Tehsil Hospital Fatehpur while six critically injured passengers were referred to Nishtar Hospital Multan for treatment.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif shared her sorrow over the incident, directing Layyah Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amira Baidar to provide the best facilities to patients and excellent treatment.

The DC visited the hospital and met the injured passengers.