24 killed, dozens injured in Pakistan bus crashes

Bus carrying passenger from Rawalpindi to Sakrdu fell into a ravine in Sakrdu. (Photo courtesy: social media)

• 19 people died when a bus slid into a ravine near Skardu while another five were killed in similar accident near Islamabad
• Pakistan has one of the world’s worst records for fatal traffic accidents

ISLAMABAD: At least 24 people were killed and dozens injured in two separate bus crashes in northern Pakistan, officials confirmed Monday, the latest fatal incidents on the country’s notoriously dangerous roads.
Officials in the northern city of Skardu said a bus headed to Rondu district came off the road and slid into a ravine after the driver lost control following a sharp turn.
“There were 26 passengers in the bus, 19 of them were killed on the spot while seven others were critically injured,” local administration official Khurram Pervazi told AFP.
A second official Ghulam Murtaza confirmed the toll.
On Sunday five people died and 17 were injured when a bus fell into a ravine near the town of Arja, northeast of Islamabad, said local official Abdul Hameed Kiyani.
Pakistan has one of the world’s worst records for fatal traffic accidents, many blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
The country’s northern mountainous areas have a particularly appalling record with often unpaved roads along sheer cliffs setting the scene for numerous gruesome traffic accidents over the years.