23 die as bus plunges into ravine

At least 23 Pakistani wedding guests, including six children, were killed when a bus plunged into a ravine near the capital Islamabad, police said yesterday. Sixty people were injured when the driver lost control of the vehicle late Sunday at a sharp bend near Narr village, around 25km east of Islamabad. The bus was carrying 97 people to Chakwal district, 100km south of the capital, after a wedding. The bus was accompanying the bride and groom, who were travelling in a separate vehicle. “At least 23 people, including six children and as many women, were killed and 60 others injured when a bus fell into a ravine,” police official Jawad Tariq told AFP. The accident happened at 10:30pm on Sunday. The driver lost control at a sharp bend in the road, Tariq said. Pakistan has one of the world’s worst records for fatal traffic accidents, blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.