PESHAWAR: Ten members of a family were killed and 13 others injured after a passenger van plunged into a ravine and caught fire while traveling to a popular hill resort in northern Pakistan on Wednesday, motorway police said.
Road accidents are a major public safety challenge in Pakistan, where speeding, dangerous overtaking, poorly maintained vehicles and difficult road conditions contribute to thousands of deaths each year. Crashes on mountain roads can be particularly deadly due to steep slopes, sharp bends and terrain that can hinder rescue efforts.
The accident occurred near KHajjut on the Murree Expressway, according to the National Highways and Motorway Police.
A police spokesperson said the Hiace van veered off the road while negotiating a bend and fell into a ravine, triggering a fire.
“The Hiace van fell into a ravine while taking a turn, causing the vehicle to catch fire immediately,” the spokesperson said.
The van landed on a side from which passengers were unable to open the doors, according to the statement.
Motorway police said all those traveling in the vehicle belonged to the same family and were on their way from the central Pakistani city of Multan to Murree, a popular tourist destination in Punjab province.
The vehicle was carrying a large number of children, with motorway police saying 10 of the passengers were minors.
Rescue teams, motorway police personnel and local authorities launched emergency operations immediately after the crash.
