Pakistan crash sets fire to minibus, kills 10 passengers

MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — A truck rammed into a minibus on a highway in eastern Pakistan overnight, causing a fire that killed 10 passengers, a Pakistani rescue official said Monday.

According to the official, Anjum Shahzad, the blaze erupted from a gas leak and a short-circuit on board the minibus, leading to the high casualty toll. Six passengers were also injured, and some of them were in critical condition at a hospital, he added.

The accident happened late on Sunday night in the district of Gujranwala in Punjab province. The minibus was traveling from the garrison city of Rawalpindi to Lahore, the provincial capital, Shahzad said. The bus was powered by both gasoline and natural gas.

Shahzad said the truck driver is suspected of negligence in the incident but added that police are still investigating.

Deadly accidents such as this one are common in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws.