A passenger bus and a dumper truck collided on the Swat Motorway early Tuesday, leaving four dead and five others injured. The crash occurred near the service area, forcing a temporary shutdown of the route as emergency crews worked to clear the wreckage.
Rescue officials confirmed the casualties were transported to the nearest hospital. Two of the injured remain in critical condition, according to medical staff at the facility.
The bus was traveling toward Swat when it struck the heavy vehicle from behind. The force of the impact left the front end of the bus mangled, trapping several passengers inside. Firefighters and local volunteers used hydraulic cutters to pull the victims from the debris.
Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. Initial reports suggest speeding may have played a factor, though investigators are also examining whether mechanical failure or poor visibility contributed to the collision.
The Swat Motorway has seen a rise in traffic accidents recently, often attributed to aggressive driving on the high-speed corridor. This stretch of road remains one of the region’s primary transport arteries, yet it lacks the rigorous speed monitoring found on other major motorways.
Local authorities say they are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby interchanges to determine exactly how the dumper truck was positioned on the road at the time of the impact. The driver of the dumper fled the scene immediately after the crash, and police are currently searching for his whereabouts.
Families of the deceased have begun arriving at the hospital to claim bodies, as police work to finalize the identification process. For now, the road has been reopened to traffic, though officials are urging commuters to exercise caution while the investigation continues.
