25 killed as bus falls into ravine in N. Pakistan

At least 25 people were killed and over 60 others injured when a passenger bus fell into a deep ravine in Pakistan's northern city of Kahuta in the wee hours of Monday, police said. District civil administrator Saqib Zafar said that the passenger bus with over 100 wedding guests on board plunged in Nurh area of Kahuta, a hilly area at about 33 km away from the country's capital of Islamabad. He said that driver of the ill-fated bus lost control of the vehicle at a sharp turn due to over speeding. The driver jumped out of the bus and police arrested him when he was trying to escape from the accident site, he said. The accident happened at midnight when the bus was on its way back to northern city of Chakwal after attending a wedding ceremony in Kahuta. Eye witnesses said that at least seven women and 4 children were also among the killed. Over 40 injured people including women and kids have been shifted to a hospital in Kahuta and over 20 critically inured passengers were sent to District headquarters hospital Rawalpindi. Hospital administration has said that death toll may further rise as at least 26 people were in critical condition. Rescue work is still underway and more bodies could be recovered from the site. Talking to media, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Imdadullah Bosal has said that rescue teams were facing difficulties in the operation due to the insufficient facilities. "Emergency has been declared in various hospitals in Kahuta and Islamabad," he said, adding that the army was also called to carry out rescue operation. Monday 4 June 2012 http://www.china.org.cn/world/2012-06/04/content_25555929.htm