DERA GHAZI KHAN - At least 15 people including two women and three children were killed and 12 others injured when a passenger bus crashed into a footpath here on Thursday.
According to a private TV channel, the awful incident took place when a bus lost control due to over-speeding and smashed persons standing at Notak bus stand; killing at least 15 people on the spot and injuring 12 others. Rescue sources said that driver of the bus lost control and it ran over the pedestrians on the footpath in Kot Chattha of Dera Ghazi Khan. Several persons got serious injuries in the incident and were shifted to nearby hospital for initial treatment. However, the driver managed to escape from the scene. The bus was going to Peshawar from Karachi.
The sorrowful accident sparked protests by the locals as outrageous crowd started torching public assets including the buses at the location. Heavy contingents of law enforcement agency reached the location and managed to control the deteriorated law and order situation.
Emergency was declared in DHQ Hospital. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed his deep sorrow over the incident and ordered the Deputy Police Office (DPO) to commence immediate inquiry in the incident.