KARACHI: Business leaders in Karachi have demanded stricter regulation and enforcement of traffic laws for heavy vehicles following a tragic accident that claimed the lives of two industrialists on the Native Jetty Bridge.
The incident has sparked outrage among the city’s chamber and industrial associations, who blame lax enforcement and reckless driving for the rising number of fatal accidents involving heavy transport vehicles.
President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Javed Bilwani expressed deep sorrow and anger over the tragic accident, which resulted in the deaths of two industrialists and serious injury to another person. He demanded strict enforcement of traffic rules related to heavy vehicles and called for action from the Sindh chief minister and governor in this regard. President of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Junaid Naqi criticised the blatant violation of traffic laws, stating that authorities remain passive spectators while precious lives continue to be lost.
The recent accident had occurred when a speeding trailer -- prohibited from operating during the day -- collided with a car on the Native Jetty Bridge. The impact sent the car plummeting off the bridge, resulting in the immediate deaths of a father and son.
Naqi said that both victims were members of the industrial community, and their untimely demise is a significant loss not only to their families but also to the business sector. He further highlighted that, despite the Sindh government’s ban on heavy vehicles entering the city during daytime hours, trailers and other large trucks continue to operate freely, disregarding regulations without fear of consequences.
This incident, he argued, demonstrates that traffic laws are not being enforced and that law-enforcement agencies are failing in their responsibilities. Naqi also revealed that so far this year, 132 people have lost their lives in similar accidents, making it an alarming issue.
KATI’s president called on Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon to take immediate notice of the tragedy and take strict action against those responsible. He urged the government to ensure the strict implementation of traffic laws, impose severe penalties on violators, and grant additional powers to traffic police to prevent such devastating incidents in the future.
He warned that Karachi’s roads have become a ticking time bomb due to the unchecked movement of heavy vehicles, posing a constant threat to innocent lives, and that if immediate and stringent measures are not taken, the situation will worsen, further eroding public trust in the government.
The SITE Association of Industry Karachi also expressed deep grief over the unfortunate deaths of the father and son who were heading towards the SITE industrial area when a reckless trailer crashed into their vehicle. President of the SITE Association Ahmed Azeem Alvi rued the recurring dangers posed by heavy transport vehicles and called for urgent reforms to regulate their movement.Urging Governor Kamran Tessori and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to take immediate action against the growing menace of trailers speeding through the city, Alvi emphasised that these vehicles pose a continuous threat to Karachi’s residents, and authorities must enforce strict controls, including banning trailers from entering urban areas during peak hours.
The SITE Association president also demanded an emergency meeting with government officials to devise a plan for controlling reckless trailers and preventing further loss of life. Alvi criticised authorities for their lack of enforcement, stating that unregulated trailer activity contributes to severe accidents and endangers countless lives.
To set a strong precedent, Alvi demanded that the driver responsible for this fatal trailer crash be given the harshest possible punishment. He further questioned why heavy vehicles, which are supposed to operate only during designated night-time hours, are frequently seen speeding through the city during the day.
“The Sindh government’s inability to control these killer trailers raises serious concerns about its authority”, he remarked, adding that: The lives of Karachi’s people are not disposable. The government must take decisive steps to prevent further tragedies caused by reckless trailers”.