Pakistan: 20 civilians killed after two buses collide on pilgrimage, 13 from one family

Thirteen members of a family who were on their way to pilgrimage were among the 20 people killed when two buses collided head on in Pakistan's Punjab province that also left 30 others injured, officials said on Monday.

The accident happened on Sunday night in the D G Khan district of Punjab when a bus coming from Multan collided with another passenger bus coming from the opposite direction.

Twenty people including women and children were dead. The dead included 13 members of a family from Multan. The members of the family were going to Karachi to visit shrines of Sufi saints in Sindh, said Deeba Shahnaz, spokesperson of Rescue 1122, an emergency service that serves the Punjab Province.

According to Rescue 1122, some 30 passengers suffered injuries and of them the condition of 10 passengers is stated to be critical. Citing witnesses, Shahnaz said that the accident happened when driver of the bus coming from Multan collided in an attempt to save a motorcyclist.

"The accident was so horrific that its collision sound was heard several kilometers away, she said.

People rushed to the spot and on their own started the rescue efforts and were later joined by the rescue officials who cut the buses and shifted the injured to hospitals.

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed grief and sorrow over the tragic incident, expressing sympathy and condoled with the bereaved families.

He also directed to provide the best medical assistance to the injured passengers.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also condoled over the loss of lives in the tragic incident.

He has sought a report from the officials on the accident at the earliest, Geo News reported.

Road accidents are common in Pakistan. Most of the mishaps are caused due to reckless driving and bad roads.

In early August, at least 18 people, including women and children, were killed in a collision between a passenger bus and a tanker.

Similarly, in July, 11 passengers were killed and several others sustained injuries in a three-vehicle crash near Nawabshah in Sindh province.