Road accident: PU student’s death sparks protest

Girl knocked down by bus while trying to cross Maulana Shaukat Ali Road

LAHORE: The death of a female student sparked a protest on Moulana Shaukat Ali Road on Wednesday. Students of the Punjab University blocked the road for more than half-an-hour and staged a protest after the accident.

Police said a speeding bus ran over the student - Iram Manzoor - when she was trying to cross the other side of the campus split by the Maulana Shaukat Ali Road in Muslim Town. She was taken to a local hospital where she died due to excessive bleeding, said police.

The twenty-two-year-old girl was the resident of Muridke, Sheikhupura and was newly-admitted to the Punjab University's College of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences. She belonged to a humble family and her father is an employee of the Pakistan Railways.



According to the Muslim Town SHO, the police have impounded the vehicle and arrested the driver named Shahid. A case has also been registered against him under Section 320 of the PPC, he added.

Construction of bridge

Some protesters believed that because of the lack of urban planning by the Punjab government as the ambitious project of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the extension of the Maulana Shaukat Ali road lacks safe crossing for pedestrians, especially students of the Punjab University.

The construction work on an over-head pedestrian bridge for the students of the varsity started two years ago and hasn’t been completed as yet. The extension of the Maulana Shaukat Ali Road was built in 2015, connecting the road to Allama Iqbal Town Karim block.

"However, despite the passage of more than two years, the students lack a safe way to cross the busy boulevard. The pedestrian bridge has been under construction for some time, giving students no option to cross the busy road safely," said a protester.



When contacted, an official of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) said that the pedestrian bridge was not part of the original [road] plan. "The bridge was added later and was being assembled." When asked when the pedestrian bridge would be completed, he said that the project was expected to be completed within the next few weeks.

Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar Mueen Nasir expressed a deep sense of sorrow and regret over the sad demise of PU's student. He directed officials concerned to take immediate measures in order to avoid any such incident in future. In his condolence message, the VC prayed that the departed soul may rest in eternal peace and Almighty Allah may grant courage to the members of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.



CM condoles

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the death of Iram Manzoor. He has extended sympathies to the bereaved family.

The chief minister also sought a report about the accident and directed officials to take legal action against the driver responsible for the accident.

As many as 13,620 lost their lives and over 1.19 million people were injured in 996,032 road traffic accidents in the 32 districts of Punjab in four years. Lahore recorded the most accidents in all the 32 districts in road accidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2017.