At least 16 passengers were killed and seven others seriously injured after a passenger van collided with a bus near Ismaila interchange on the Swat Motorway in Mardan, Motorway Police said on Monday.

Sources said the bodies and injured were shifted to Mardan Medical Complex for medico-legal procedures and treatment.

The deceased and injured passengers belonged to different districts, the sources added.

Motorway Police said rescue teams reached the site immediately after the accident.

According to preliminary investigations, the crash occurred due to the negligence of the van driver, who rammed the vehicle into the bus parked along a road from behind.