ISLAMABAD, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 passengers, including women and children, were killed and 33 others injured in two separate road accidents in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, police and rescue officials said on Thursday.

One of the accidents happened in the Lasbela district, where six people were killed and 17 others sustained serious injuries when a passenger coach collided with a truck, Senior Superintendent of Police of the district, Atif Amir, told media.

Later, the non-government rescue organization Edhi Foundation said in a statement that seven passengers were killed and 16 others were injured after another coach met with an accident in the Hub district.

The accident caused a traffic jam on the national highway, but the road was later cleared following rescue operations, the statement added.

The injured people from both accidents were shifted to a nearby hospital, where several of them are in critical condition.

Road accidents in Pakistan have become an alarming issue, with a significant increase in both frequency and severity over the years.

Reckless driving, poor road conditions, and inadequate vehicle maintenance are among the primary causes of the high accident rate. ■