Despite official notices and actions, reckless drivers continue to take lives in Karachi. On Saturday another dumper truck crushed three motorcyclists to death, while three more people were killed in as many other road traffic accidents.
This year over 90 people have lost their lives and nearly 1,200 have been injured in road traffic accidents across the city. These alarming figures highlight the poor performance of the traffic police, raising concerns about road safety measures.
The major accident of the day occurred near the CBM College in Korangi, where a speeding dumper crushed three young men riding a motorbike. The driver responsible for the accident managed to flee. A crowd gathered at the scene and torched the dumper.
The three injured victims were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), but they succumbed to their injuries before reaching the hospital. The deceased were identified as Asif Huzoor Bakhsh, 25, Amjad Jilani, 27, and Junaid. The fire department doused the burning dumper.
Zaman Town SHO Atiqur Rehman said the deceased were cousins and hailed from Bahawalpur, adding that they had come to Karachi for work. Following the accident, the victims’ family members and relatives held a protest at the accident site with the bodies of the deceased.
This led to a massive traffic jam, with vehicles stranded for hours around the Korangi Crossing and the nearby streets. Police attempted to disperse the protesters through dialogue. The protest continued for over three hours but was eventually called off after police made the assurance of catching the dumper driver.
Three more killed
In an accident near the Attock Pump on the Northern Bypass in Surjani Town, a truck hit Abdul Majeed, 45. His body was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH). Police said the deceased and the truck driver were relatives.
The driver took Majeed to the hospital but the injured died on the way there. The victim’s family refused legal action. After completing the formal procedure, police handed over the body to the relatives.
Separately, two people were critically injured after an unidentified vehicle hit them in Steel Town. They were taken to the JPMC, where Ayaz Abdul Khail, 35, succumbed to his injuries, while Abdul Wahab, 25, is being treated.
Another accident took place near the Safoora Chowrangi Malir Check Post, where a speeding car struck and killed Naseem Sadiq, 25, who was on a motorbike. His body was taken to ASH. SHO Aurangzeb Khattak said the driver responsible was arrested.
The victim’s cousin Nazar said Sadiq worked at a factory and was a father of two. He said the victim worked as a delivery rider in his free time, adding that he was returning from a delivery in Sachal when the fatal accident occurred.
Meanwhile, a speeding dumper ran over a motorbike near Steel Town. However, both motorcyclists remained unhurt. Traffic police said the accident occurred on the Steel Morr section of the National Highway leading to Thatta.
The two motorcyclists remained safe but their two-wheeler was severely damaged. Police arrested the dumper driver and shifted both vehicles to the Steel Town police station for further legal proceedings.
Entry banned
The Sindh government on Saturday imposed a ban on the entry of dumper trucks into Karachi during the daytime.
As per an announcement, the dumper trucks will only be allowed to enter the city between 11pm and 6am.
This decision aims to reduce the increasing number of road accidents caused by heavy vehicles and improve traffic flow in the city. Moreover, Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah ordered a crackdown on reckless driving and heavy traffic violations. He also ordered all the heavy vehicles and drivers to undergo mandatory inspection.
Officials said that following the directives of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Hyder convened an emergency meeting to discuss traffic-related issues. The meeting was attended by Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Karachi commissioner, Karachi additional IG, transport secretary, traffic DIG, and other officials.
It was decided that all heavy vehicles and their drivers would undergo physical verification to ensure compliance with safety regulations. Additionally, all vehicles operating in Karachi would have to obtain a QR Code certificate from the transport department.
The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board has been instructed to shift its operations to night time within three months. Furthermore, the chief secretary directed the transport secretary to inspect all the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’s water tankers within a month to ensure their safety and compliance with traffic laws.
He also emphasised the importance of road safety for motorcyclists, instructing traffic police to strictly enforce helmet-wearing rules. He directed the information department to launch an extensive media awareness campaign on traffic regulations.
In the light of increasing traffic accidents, the chief secretary stressed that strict enforcement of traffic laws was now a necessity. He also ordered that reckless drivers should not only be fined but also face FIRs to ensure accountability.
Highlighting the major causes of accidents, he stated that the primary reason for road tragedies was the lack of enforcement of laws concerning heavy traffic. To address this, the Sindh government has decided to launch a vehicle inspection and certification system (VICS) across the province. The chief secretary instructed the Transport Department to expedite the implementation of this system.
It was revealed during the meeting that 65 per cent of vehicles in Karachi were motorcycles, and 55 per cent of all road accidents involved motorcyclists. In response, the CS directed the traffic DIG to improve the traffic situation within a month and ensure the strict implementation of road safety regulations.
Additionally, he instructed that traffic fines should be increased fourfold to deter violations and enhance road discipline. The Sindh government remained committed to ensuring safer roads, reducing accidents and implementing effective traffic management strategies in Karachi. Hyder emphasised the need for a well-structured approach to traffic management and directed the revival of the Traffic Engineering Bureau. He stated that the bureau must be made a more effective organisation to develop long-term solutions for Karachi’s traffic challenges, improve road infrastructure, and ensure better enforcement of traffic regulations.
The CS ordered that the number of traffic police personnel in the city be increased and awareness campaign launched for motorcyclists. He said he was saddened by the deaths due to trucks and water tankers in the city. Officials said another high-level meeting has been called by the chief secretary on February 10 over the rising traffic accidents in Karachi.
The meeting would be attended by the Sindh IGP, Karachi commissioner, transport secretary, health secretary, Karachi Development Authority director general, traffic DIG and officials from the National Highway Authority, Motorway Police and Traffic Engineering Bureau. Measures to regulate heavy traffic would be discussed in the meeting to prevent traffic accidents.