The bus, operated by the private transport company Markopolo, was carrying more than 40 passengers when the accident occurred.
Rescuers transported the injured to Chillas Hospital for urgent medical treatment. Rescue sources said the death toll might rise as the majority of the injured were in critical condition.
According to the spokesperson of the Gilgit-Baltistan government, the rescue operation has been successfully concluded following the bus accident, the Express Tribune reported.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief on the loss of lives and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families. He also directed that the injured be provided with “every possible medical treatment”.