Over 50 killed in Pakistan bus, truck collision

At least 50 people, some 14 women and eight children among them, were killed and 18 people were injured on Tuesday when a passenger bus collided with a truck laden with goods in southern Pakistan, officials said.

"The Karachi-bound passenger bus, which was coming from northwestern city of Swat went on the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with a goods container, killing 56 people," senior local police official Nasir Aftab told AFP.

Conflicting reports have come about the number of victims. AP reported the death and injury toll issued by police official Ghulam Jhokhio.

AFP, however, estimates the body count at 56 people at least, with a much higher rate of kids – including 17 women and 18 children. The latter death toll was confirmed by a senior doctor at the Khairpur civil hospital, who added that the condition of three of the injured was critical.

#RoadAccident in #Sukkur leaves more than 40 dead. #Pakistan@WasayJalil@noor_rajput@abidghouri3@KaleemAltafipic.twitter.com/3LYSDe66rr

— Faizan Khan (@Faibyy) November 11, 2014

The accident happened in the morning, 450km north of Karachi, near the city of Khairpur, which is the capital of southern Sindh province. A police official told AP, the most likely cause of the accident was heavy fog.

Bad road infrastructure, combined with reckless driving makes fatal accidents quite common in Pakistan.