At least 13 people of a family, including five children, were killed and nine injured when a mini-truck in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell into a ravine in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Saturday, rescue officials said.

According to Rescue 1122, the vehicle was coming from the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the Khushab district of Punjab when the accident occurred.

The mini-truck, while negotiating a turn, skidded off the road and fell into a ravine at Pench Pir area of Khushab, some 250 kilometres from Lahore.

"As many as 13 people, including five children, died on the spot. Nine injured have been shifted to a hospital where their condition is stated to be critical,” an official said.

Rescue officials said the deceased and the injured belonged to an extended family who were coming to Khushab for labour work. According to a couple of eyewitnesses, the driver lost control of the vehicle because of over-speeding.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed her grief over the loss of lives in the accident and directed the authorities to provide the injured with the best treatment facilities.

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