Dumper trucks whip up road terror

Three motorcyclists were killed when a dumper coming from the wrong side hit them near Korangi Crossing. Agitated people set the sand and gravel loaded dumper on fire.

Aggrieved families took the bodies to Korangi Crossing, blocking the road. The staged sit-in suspended traffic flow. The protestors burned tyres on the road and shouted slogans during the protest. The protestors demanded the arrest of SSP Keamari, SSP Traffic and the dumper driver and registration of murder case.

The deceased were identified as 24-year-old Muhammad Shaukat, 25-year-old Asif, and 27-year-old Amjad Jilani. Shaukat was an employee of the Pakistan Navy, a resident of NRE-1 Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road. He left beind a son to mourn his death. While, Asif and Amjad Jilani, were relatives of Shaukat who worked as a part-time welder. At the time of the accident, he had gone to Korangi Ibrahim Hyderi to give welding equipment to someone and to talk about his relatives' employment. Unfortunately, they were crushed during their return. Asif and Amjad had come to Karachi from Bahawalpur a day earlier for employment. The driver of the dumper escaped from the scene unharmed. The angry people present at the scene set the dumper on fire. The bodies of the deceased were shifted to Jinnah Hospital.

A fire brigade vehicle reached the spot and doused the flames in half an hour of struggle. The dumper was impounded.

The dumper responsible for the accident was going to supply sand and gravel removed from a river in Malir district under the patronage of the police, to Korangi despite the ban on digging for sand and gravel. The officials of the Dumper Association also held the dumper driver responsible for the accident, while they held the police responsible for it. He said, if there is heavy traffic in the city during the day, then the police are responsible for it.

Meanwhile, another speeding dumper ran over a motorcyclist on the National Highway, killing a man and injuring another. Both were transferred to a nearby hospital. The dumper driver was arrested.

Surjani Town Northern Bypass also witnessed a tragic accident where a Mazda truck hit and killed a 45-year-old motorcyclist. The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where the deceased was identified as Abdul Majeed.

Following the continuous tragic incidents, the Sindh government has decided to impose a ban on the entry of dumpers into the megapolis during the daytime. As per the announcement, dumpers will only be allowed to enter the city between 11pm and 6am.

Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah convened an emergency meeting to discuss traffic-related issues on the directives of the CM. The meeting was attended by Inspector General Sindh Police, Commissioner Karachi, Additional IG Karachi, Secretary Transport, DIG Traffic, and other officials. During the meeting, it was decided that all large vehicles and their drivers will undergo inspection to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Additionally, all vehicles operating in Karachi must obtain a QR Code-certified certificate from the Transport Department. The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board has been instructed to shift its operations to night-time within three months.

Crackdown on traffic rules violators

The Road Safety Committee on the directives of Sindh Senior Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, continues its crackdown on the violators of traffic rules. As part of the operation against overloading, over-speeding, and unfit commercial vehicles, the committee inspected 33 vehicles, issued challans to 20, and impounded four vehicles.

A total fine of Rs101,400 was imposed on violators of road safety regulations. The senior minister stated that the committee is conducting surprise inspections across the province to curb traffic violations. He emphasised that traffic law violations pose a significant threat to human lives, and the Sindh government is taking strict action against offenders.