The incident occurred near Sargodha at a time of reduced visibility on roads due to dense smog, according to Rescue 1122 officials. The truck carrying passengers veered off the road and plunged into the Ghalapur Bangla canal which was dry.
“At least fourteen people have died in the fog-related traffic accident,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
The deceased included six children and five women, according to local media reports. The passengers were on their way to attend a funeral.
But fog is not the only reason behind these crashes as some of the incidents have also resulted from speeding and reckless driving, poor awareness of traffic rules, overloading and weak enforcement of laws.
On Friday, at least five people were killed in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province after a vehicle transporting smuggled Iranian oil hit another vehicle coming from the opposite direction, a police official said. The collision occurred in the Washuk district that borders Iran.
“Five people were burnt to death on the spot while both Zamyad vehicles were completely destroyed,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Shafique Shahwani told Arab News. “One of the vehicles was transporting Iranian oil which caused a fire-ball after the crash.”
The vehicles have often caused fatal accidents in the province due to reckless driving, while the presence of smuggled oil on these vehicles instantly triggers fire and causes major damages.
Nine Afghan nationals were killed and 10 others injured in Balochistan’s Chaghi district after a pickup truck collided with another oil carrying vehicle in Dec., officials said.
Source: Arab News Pakistan
