Garbage trucks run amok in Hyderabad

Woman in ICU with backbone injury, internal bleeding

HYDERABAD:

The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board's sanitation efforts have shown little improvement, but the reckless behaviour of garbage truck drivers continues to endanger lives in the second largest urban centre of the province.

In the latest incident, a mother of six was critically injured when a garbage truck hit her motorcycle and ran over her in a densely populated area. The errant driver fled the scene, leaving the victim in critical condition with severe spinal injuries.

The incident was caught on video which went viral on social media, sparking outrage. However, police were slow to respond and only began taking action late at night. The victim, identified as 45-year-old Shabana, a resident of Noorani Basti, is currently fighting for her life in the ICU of Civil Hospital. She was traveling with her son on a motorcycle when the accident occurred on Liaquat Bridge, also known as Noorani Basti Bridge.

According to eyewitnesses, the truck driver, after hitting the motorcycle, ran over Shabana instead of stopping. The video shows the driver speeding away as a bystander tried to stop him. Shabana's son survived the accident, but she remains in critical condition.

This is not an isolated incident. MQM-Pakistan MPA Nasir Qureshi revealed that this was the sixth such accident involving untrained garbage truck drivers in his constituency (PS-65) in recent weeks. Similar accidents have claimed several lives across Hyderabad, raising serious questions about the SSWMB's hiring practices and the authorities' inaction.

Speaking to The Express Tribune after visiting the victim's family at the hospital, MPA Qureshi said: "Shabana's spinal cord is broken, and internal bleeding continues. Doctors are doing everything possible to save her." He also criticised the Pinyari police for failing to act against the driver, despite clear evidence in the viral video.

Residents are angered by the lack of accountability from both the SSWMB and local authorities. No representatives from the SSWMB, town administration, mayor's office, or district administration have visited the victim or her family to offer support.

On October 22, another truck hit a motorcycle on the same Liaquat Bridge, injuring Junaid Qureshi and killing his four-year-old son, Zahran Qureshi. Investigations revealed that many of these drivers lack valid driving licences, yet no measures have been taken to address this problem.

Despite public outrage, the Hyderabad police and SSWMB have been slow to act, leaving residents questioning the city's commitment to ensuring public safety. Residents demand immediate action to hold those responsible accountable and to prevent more tragedies in future.