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At least 20 people were killed when a passenger bus skidded off a mountainous terrain and plunged into a ravine in northwest Pakistan on Friday, authorities said.

The incident occurred on the Karakoram Highway in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan region when the bus was on its way from Rawalpindi to Hunza and the driver lost control of the vehicle, a police official said.

It was not clear as to how many passengers were aboard the bus, the official said.

At least 15 people, who were injured in the incident, have been moved to a hospital in Chilas, the official said.

Rescue efforts are in progress and the dead bodies are being shifted to the hospital, the official said.

A hospital source said three women were among the dead.

The source said the death toll was expected to rise further as many of the injured were in critical condition.

Gilgit Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan expressed condolences over the incident and directed the administration to provide immediate medical aid to the injured.

Giltgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said an emergency was declared at the Chilas Hospital after the accident.