17 people killed in bus-truck crash in northwest Pakistan: Official

A head-on collision between a passenger bus and a speeding truck trailer near a tunnel in northwest Pakistan overnight killed at least 17 passengers, including women and children, a rescue official said early Friday.

The crash happened in Kohat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the local emergency official and state-run media.

“We have transported all the dead and injured to a hospital in Kohat,” rescue official Rehmat Ullah said.

TV footage showed images of the destroyed bus.

Azam Khan, the caretaker chief minister in the province, has expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the tragic accident.

On Sunday, a passenger bus crashed into a pillar and fell off a bridge in Baluchistan province, catching fire and killing 40 people.

Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure and a disregard for traffic laws.