Concern over accidents on Hazara Expressway

MANSEHRA: The chairman of Ulema’s Amn Committee, Maulana Inayatur Rehman, has demanded the government to check the construction of the Hazara Expressway from Jarikass to Havalian as accidents were common on this section of this strategically important artery because of its bumpiness.

“This important road is uneven from Jarikass to Havalian and all its interchanges from Mansehra to Thakot are without signals as a result of which accidents are common and many lives lost on it,” the Maulana told reporters here on Tuesday.

He said the National Highway Authority should hold a test drive through a road experts’ team from Jarikass to Havalian to identify the exact issue to protect the lives of travellers on it.

“When a driver accelerates his vehicle above 100 km/hour speed, instead of gripping the road the vehicle goes out of control,” said Maulana Inayatur Rehman.

He said that Hazara Expressway was though a dual-way from Hassanabdal to Mansehra and protected from all sides but becomes single from latter onward and all interchanges linking it with the Karakoram Highway were without signals as a result of which accidents were common and many people had lost lives in the recent months.

“If the government doesn’t ensure the remedial measures to protect the precious human lives, we would be left with no other option but to launch a street agitation against it after the Eidul Fitr.