At least 11 people were killed and 46 were injured on Thursday when a bus carrying passengers overturned near the Bahtar Interchange on the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway.

Police said that the accident occurred in the early hours while it was raining. SP Pothohar Syed Ali held the driver of the bus responsible for the accident. He said that police have filed a case against the driver and arrested him.

Following the incident, he also issued orders to install speed cameras after every 500 metres on the M1 motorway.

Motorway Police DIG Ishfar Ahmed said that the deceased belonged to Lahore, Nankana Sahib and Swat. He quoted several eyewitnesses as saying that the driver was continuously using a mobile phone while driving and refused to pay heed to some passengers who asked him not to do so. The driver was also accused of having consumed hashish.

According to the officer, the bus went out of the driver's control when he was overtaking a trailer.

THQ Taxila Medical Superintendent Dr Hooria told DawnNewsTV that 10 bodies and eight injured persons were brought to the hospital. She said that the rest of the casualties were taken to various hospitals in Hassanabdal, Wah Cant and Rawalpindi.

According to police, two of the bodies were yet to be identified.