Eighteen people were killed while fifteen others injured when a passenger bus caught fire after being smashed into a pick-up carrying diesel drums near Pindi Bhattian.

According to Spokesperson of Motorway police, passenger bus was coming from Karachi to Islamabad.

The killed and injured passengers have been shifted to hospital.

President Dr. Arif Alvi has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious human lives in a bus accident near Pindi Bhattian.

In his condolence message, he expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

The President also prayed the Allah Almighty to grant departed souls higher ranks in heaven.

Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi has expressed sorrow over the accident of passenger coach near Pindi Bhattian coming from Karachi to Islamabad.

In his condolence message, he stressed the need to determine the reasons in order to avoid such incidents in future.

Expressing the sympathy with the heirs of the deceased, the Minister said we are deeply saddened by this incident.

Murtaza Solangi prayed to grant deceased a high place in Jannat al-Firdous and also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.