At least 18 dead, several injured after van crashes into parked bus on Swat Expressway

Mardan (Web Desk): At least 18 people were killed and seven others injured in a tragic road accident when a passenger van struck a parked bus on the Swat Expressway near Ismaila Interchange in Mardan earlier today.

According to a spokesperson for the Motorway Police, the crash happened after a passenger bus travelling from Karachi to Buner developed a technical issue and was pulled over on the roadside.

The driver was in the process of repairing the fault when a high-speed passenger van coming from Rawalpindi to Dir hit the stationary bus from behind. The collision was extremely powerful, leaving the van completely wrecked.

Rescue teams along with Motorway Police officials reached the site soon after being informed and shifted the dead and injured to Mardan Medical Complex for treatment.

Authorities confirmed that the casualties included men, women, elderly passengers, and children.

Initial assessments indicate that the accident likely occurred due to careless and reckless driving by the van driver, who failed to notice or avoid the stopped bus.

Officials also said the bus had been parked due to a generator failure, while a detailed inquiry into the incident is still underway.

Motorway Police added that the identities of the victims could not be confirmed immediately. However, early information suggests that all those affected belonged to Upper Dir and Bajaur districts.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister Shafi Jan expressed profound grief over the incident.

In his statement, he extended condolences to the bereaved families and called the loss of lives “deeply heartbreaking.”

He further said that the injured were receiving the best available medical care and assured that the provincial government would fully support the affected families in this difficult time.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic accident.