SC bans illegal Qingqi rickshaws

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday allowed motorcycle rickshaws, popularly known as Qingqi rickshaws, manufactured by registered companies.

A two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, in its order directed, "Besides approved Qingqi rickshaws, no other rickshaws shall be allowed to operate."

Highlighting the poor standards of public transport in the country, Justice Gulzar remarked that buses from the 1950s were still running in Karachi while noisy Qingqi rickshaws were plying all over the country.  The rickshaws were dangerous and often overturned while manoeuvring sharp turns, he added. He said the government had launched the Metro Bus, Green Bus, and Orange Line transport services across the country, but there was no one to regulate the Qingqi rickshaws.

The court directed the government to resolve the issue and ensure that those attached with rickshaws might not lose their source of income. Justice Gulzar Ahmed clarified that the ban on plying illegal Qingqi rickshaws was being imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan.

The Sindh High Court had already ordered legal action against Qingqis in the province, noting that the description of Qingqi rickshaws did not match the description of vehicles prescribed in terms of Rule 2(e), (f) and (ff) of the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1969. The government lawyer informed the court that illegal Qingqi rickshaws had been banned in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Only approved Qingqi rickshaws would be allowed to ply on roads, he added.