Tragedy Kallar Kahar incident: A candlelight vigil to remember the innocent lives lost

Vigilance on faulty transport, traffic rules stressed to avoid future accidents.

ISLAMABAD: Amid lit candles and prayers, the students who lost their lives in last month’s fateful bus accident were remembered at a memorial service here on Tuesday.

People at the ceremony prayed for the 34 students of Millat School Faisalabad who were killed when an overcapacity bus plunged into a ditch as a result of a break failure at Kallar Kahar on the way back from a field trip. They remembered the students who died in the accident and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

Member National Assembly Nafisa Shah said, “Transporters must follow vehicle fitness standards and the motorways and highways authorities should [diligently] implement these regulations.”

She added that all vehicles should routinely be checked for fitness.

“The incident could have been prevented, had precautionary measures been taken,” she added.

She urged teachers and parents to sensitise transporters about safety rules and force them to follow them strictly. “We must rethink and redefine the road safety guidelines to ensure avoiding such mishaps in future,” Nafisa added.

She suggested that the road safety guidelines must be telecasted on TV channel and radio stations to make all the people aware of these standard rules.

Federal Directorate of Education Training Director Prof. Waqar Ahmed said that it is the responsibility of the government to provide safe transport service to students.

Islamabad Traffic Police Superintendent Police Mirwaiz Niaz said school administrations must avoid using dilapidated vehicles. Niaz added students must also avoid using rooftops of buses, which can be hazardous.

He sought strong cooperation of parents, teachers, transporters and traffic authorities to discourage such student practices. The reference service was organised by FDE in collaboration with National Commission for Human Development at the Islamabad Model College for Girls F-10/2.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2011.