Karachi’s adventurous youth often organise and take part in motorcycle racing which is conducted between midnight and dawn on the city’s busiest road Shahra-e-Faisal. For the sake of only a few thousand rupees, young motorcyclists put their lives in danger as they drive fast and recklessly, and perform dangerous stunts like one-wheeling. In such races, there are no rules. Participants are even allowed to kick their opponents’ motorcycles – this often results in horrible accidents – to win the prize money. The relevant authorities need to look into this matter at the earliest so that the lives of young people can be saved.
The authorities should place a complete ban on such unregulated competitions. Many participants are under the age of 18 which means that they may not have driving licenses. Having said that, I think that the authorities should engage these talented young people – some of the stunts are quite impressive and could be less dangerous if performed in a safe environment – in constructive activities and organise racing competitions under proper supervision.
Faisal Ansar
Karachi