The passenger bus (DNM-8924) with over 50 passengers on board was on its way from Thorar to Rawalpindi when the driver lost control over it while negotiating a sharp turn near Azad Patan bridge in Sandhoti area due to which the bus fell into the Jhelum River.
Nine passengers lost their lives in the mishap and 20 others sustained injuries while many others were missing till filing of this report.
Rescue teams reached the scene of the accident and shifted the dead and injured to hospitals of Kahuta and Rawlakot. Fifteen of the injured were reportedly in critical condition.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred due to overloading and carelessness on part of the driver.
President Azad Kashmir Raja Zulqarnain and Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan expressed shock over the incident and asked the concerned authorities to submit report about the mishap immediately.
