THATTA: Five passengers were killed while 12 others injured when a Badinbound van rammed into a moving bus near Haleji Link Road on the Karachi-Badin National Highway, some 14km from Thatta, on Thursday af ternoon.

Some passengers and eyewitnesses told this reporter that the bus and van were trying to overtake each other when the van rammed into the back of the bus as the bus driver applied brakes to save some roadcrossing bullocks.

But the van went out of control and five passengers died on the spot. Three of them were identified as Hazoor Bux and Anwar Godrio, residents of Bello town, and Ali Bux from Golarchi in Badin district.

Identity of the remaining victims could not be ascertained.

Four passengers said to be in critical condition were identified as Noor Mohammad, Agib, Ismail Shaikh and Mukhtiar Ahmed. They were rushed to hospitals in Karachi.-Correspondent