Rescue 1122 says it’s official and Para Force personnel also died in collision; Punjab CM seeks report on accident
Rescue workers try to retrieve bodies and injured passengers from the wreckage of a bus after it collided with a truck on Depalpur Road on Thursday. Photo: Express News
At least 11 people, including a Rescue 1122 official and a Para Force personnel, were killed and 33 others injured on Thursday when a passenger bus collided with a truck on Depalpur Road, a Rescue 1122 spokesperson said.
The accident occurred near 17 SP Stop on Depalpur Road when a passenger bus travelling from Multan to Kasur collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, the spokesperson said.
A rescue operation was underway to retrieve passengers trapped in the wreckage, with heavy machinery, including cranes, being used in the operation.
Read: 464 die in Punjab road crashes in October
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sought a report on the accident and directed the district administration to ensure the provision of the best possible medical facilities to the injured.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the accident, she sought a report on the incident while directing the authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured passengers and prayed for their speedy recovery.
On her instructions, Pakpattan Deputy Commissioner Asif Raza immediately reached the hospital.
The chief minister also expressed condolences to the bereaved families and conveyed her sympathies over the deaths of a Para Force official and a patrolling police official in the accident.
Following the CM’s directive, DC Raza declared an emergency at the District Headquarters Hospital in Pakpattan and called in additional doctors and medical staff.
Road accidents are common in Punjab, with experts often attributing them to rash driving, rising vehicle ownership and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure. The rising number of crashes across the province has once again raised concerns about public safety, road planning and traffic management.
In October alone, 44,797 road traffic accidents were reported across Punjab, leaving at least 464 people dead and 23,543 seriously injured, according to Rescue 1122.
Also Read: Punjab’s traffic accidents expose gaps in road safety planning
Motorcycles were involved in nearly one-third of the reported accidents, the rescue service said.
According to the recorded figures, Lahore recorded the highest number of crashes, with 7,874 incidents involving 8,833 motorcycles. Multan reported 2,838 accidents involving 3,312 motorcycles, while Faisalabad recorded 2,615 crashes involving 2,896 motorcycles.
Gujranwala reported 2,092 accidents involving 2,250 motorcycles, followed by Sheikhupura, where 1,714 crashes involved 1,706 motorcycles.
Taunsa Sharif recorded the lowest number of accidents, with 142 incidents involving 160 motorcycles.
