Eight die, 16 injured in Islamabad-Lahore Motorway accident
Pakistan Times National News Desk

LAHORE: Eight people, including two minors, were killed and 16 others injured when a Lahore-bound bus collided with a truck at Motorway near Thokar Niazbeg early Saturday morning, the police said.

Hanjerwal police said a truck C-3156 was parked at the sideline of the Motorway when a Daewoo bus (LRT-4692) crashed into it with a big bang.

Five people, including two women, were killed on the spot, two in hospital and another while being shifted to a hospital.

The bus driver Bilal and bus hostess Kanwal are among the injured, who are being given treatment in the Jinnah Hospital Lahore.

The bus coming from Peshawar to Lahore collided with the truck at Lahore Byepass, one kilometre from Thokar Niazbeg. The truck was parked at the hard shoulder of the Motorway due to some technical fault.

Rescue Ops

Soon after the accident, officers of the National Highway and Motorway Police arrived at the scene. The Motorway Police evacuated the injured by cutting the body of the bus. SSP M-2 Syed Ejaz Hussain also reached the spot to monitor the rescue operation.

In the meantime, ambulances of NH&MP and "Rescue 1122" arrived and took part in rescue operation.

The dead were identified as Neelofar, 45, her son Baseer, 3, and daughter Aqsa, 2, of Peshawar, Subhan, 13, of Lahore, Imran Shah, 33, of Mardan, Fatima, 45 of Peshawar and Shabana while the eighth dead could not be identified.

NH&MP Inspector General Ziaul Hassan Khan ordered the DIG M-2 to take up the case with Daewoo Company for compensation for the victims.

The police said the bus had a tacho-graph in it and its data would be analysed to know the actual position.

They said the bus left Peshawar at 10pm on Friday and the driver had continuously been driving the bus which met the accident when he felt sleepy.●