18 killed in horrific Swat Expressway crash as passenger van slams into parked bus

RAWALPINDI: At least 18 people were killed and six others injured in a devastating traffic accident on the Swat Expressway on Monday after a passenger van rammed into a parked bus, according to the Motorway Police.

Officials said the tragic incident occurred when a passenger bus travelling from Karachi to Buner developed a technical fault and was parked along the roadside. The driver was reportedly attempting repairs when a speeding passenger van travelling from Rawalpindi to Dir crashed into the stationary vehicle from behind.

The collision was so intense that the van was completely mangled, leaving passengers trapped inside the wreckage.

Rescue teams and Motorway Police personnel rushed to the scene immediately after receiving information about the accident and shifted the dead and injured to Mardan Medical Complex.

Authorities said the victims included men, women, elderly passengers and children, highlighting the scale of the tragedy.

Initial investigations suggested that reckless driving and alleged negligence on the part of the van driver may have caused the accident. Officials added that the bus had been stopped on the roadside due to a generator malfunction when the crash occurred.

The identities of the deceased and injured could not be immediately confirmed, though preliminary reports indicated that most of the victims belonged to Upper Dir and Bajaur districts.

Meanwhile, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

In a statement, he described the deaths as “extremely tragic” and said the injured were being provided the best possible medical treatment.

He added that the provincial government stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the affected families during this difficult time.