At least 21 people were killed and 12 injured when a passenger bus plunged into a ravine (Harban Nala) after colliding with a car on the Karakoram Highway in the Shitial area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kohistan district on Tuesday night, rescue officials said.

The accident occurred when a bus travelling from Ghizer to Rawalpindi collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction. At least 16 passengers were in the bus and five in the car.

Diamer Deputy Commissioner Fayyaz Ahmed Khan confirmed the death of 21 passengers to Radio Pakistan. Rescue 1122 was taking part in the rescue of bodies.

Eighteen bodies were shifted to the Shatial Hospital. The injured people were shifted to the regional headquarters hospital (RHQ) in Chilas. An emergency has been declared in the hospital, prompting locals to throng the infirmary for donating blood.

President Dr Arif Alvi condoled over the loss of lives. He was grieved over the deaths and sympathised with the bereaved families.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the lives lost in the accident, the state-run agency reported. He offered his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the deceased.

The premier directed the authorities concerned to provide the injured with all available medical facilities.

Morover, Gilgit Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid has directed the administration and all relevant departments to evacuate the injured and provide them with medical facilities.

He also issued directives to set up a special control room for better coordination and monitoring of emergency response, adding that a medical team from Gilgit should be send if the need arose.