A truck ploughed into a minibus in Pakistan's central province of Punjab Tuesday, killing 21 people, rescue officials said, dpa reported.
Twelve people were injured in the accident, which took place at a busy highway intersection in the Bahawalpur district, 440 kilometres south-west of the provincial capital, Lahore.
"The impact was so great that the passenger bus turned into a twisted heap of metal, trapping the victims inside," said Riaz Ajmal, a duty officer at the Rescue 1122 emergency services.
The bus was carrying people who had been celebrating Eid al-Adha, a Muslim festival marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Rescue officials said investigators were looking into the cause but it appeared speeding by the truck driver led to the crash.
Pakistan has a high rate of fatal traffic accidents, most of which are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained vehicles and bad road conditions.