A head-on collision between a passenger bus and a speeding truck trailer near a tunnel in northwest Pakistan overnight killed at least 17 passengers, including women and children, a rescue official said early Friday.

The crash happened in Kohat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the local emergency official and state-run media.

"We have transported all the dead and injured to a hospital in Kohat," rescue official Rehmat Ullah said.

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TV footage showed images of the destroyed bus.

Azam Khan, the caretaker chief minister in the province, has expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the tragic accident.

On Sunday, a passenger bus crashed into a pillar and fell off a bridge in Baluchistan province, catching fire and killing 40 people.

Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure and a disregard for traffic laws.