Road accidents in Pakistan claim nine lives

Islamabad

Nine people were killed and 15 others injured in two different accidents in Pakistan today, officials said.

A bus, travelling from Rawalpindi to Rawlakot, fell into a ditch killing five, including a woman, on the spot and injuring 15 others, of whom two died on the way to hospital. Rest of the injured passengers were taken to Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

In the other accident, a car fell down from the Goin Nullah Road, 12 km away from Rawalakot, into a ditch killing two people and injuring the rest.

Pakistan has been recording nearly 9,000 road accidents every year killing over 4,500 people on average owing to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.