Kaghan Valley tracks become death traps for tourists
Authorities in the Kaghan Valley are continuously ignoring the safety of motorists and tourists by not implementing the safety rules for driving and fitness of jeeps meant for hilly roads and tracks. The gross negligence leads to frequent road mishaps, casualties and injuries every year, especially in summer.
Just the day before yesterday, a jeep fell into a ravine in Kiwai, resulting in the death of two female students from Post Graduate College Haripur who were on their way to visit Shogran. Additionally, six people, including three professors and three female students were injured in the accident.
There is no mechanism in place to check the fitness of jeeps plying on the tracks and to prevent inexperienced drivers from driving. Access to most of the entertainment places in the Kaghan Valley is only possible by jeeps and tourists from distant places travel to Sri Pai, Lake Saiful Malook, Lala Zaar, Sharan and other places. The lack of any mechanism on the part of the traffic police and administration to keep check and balance on the fitness of the vehicles and non-professional drivers is the major cause of traffic accidents.
The recent accident could only be attributed to either driver’s negligence or a technical fault in the jeep. Tourists have demanded the administration and traffic police to ban unfit vehicles and the driving of underage, inexperienced and non-professional drivers to prevent accidents and casualties in future.
When contacted, Traffic Police Superintendent of Police (SP) Shah Nawaz Khan claimed that to check the fitness of vehicles was not the domain of the traffic police, but if the concerned department took action against such unfit vehicles, they would fully assist them. He, however, said that the traffic police had been directed to take action against non-professional drivers.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2024.