Khairpur accident: In a first, police seal NHA offices over no-show of officials

The authority's officials had been directed to appear before the SP to record their statements

SUKKUR: Khairpur police on Monday stopped contractors from carrying out construction work on the highway and sealed the offices of the National Highway Authority (NHA).

The move comes after NHA officials failed to appear before the police and record their statements regarding the accident on November 11 near Thehri bypass, which claimed 59 lives and left 18 others injured.

After the NHA was implicated in the FIR of the accident, Khairpur police had directed its officials to appear before the City SP on Monday to record their statements. The officials and contractors, however, failed to show up. Subsequently, the police forced the contractors to stop the construction work on the highway and sealed the authority's offices in Khairpur. They also impounded the heavy machinery and vehicles at the site.

Khairpur City SP Masood Bangash said that the NHA officials have been given 24 hours to appear before him and record their statements, otherwise they will be declared absconders and their case will be challaned in the court.

Earlier, the NHA had suspended three officials, including the general manager of the N-5 highway, Mukesh Kumar. He was ordered to report to the authority's head office in Islamabad. Shabbir Ali Shah has replaced Mukesh Kumar.

A senior official of the NHA praised the police for registering the FIR against the authority, saying that making the highways safe and travel-worthy was their prime duty. He added that blame should also be fixed on the vehicle owners whose vehicles are fully insured. In the case of accidents, the owners get full compensation for their property but they pay no compensation to the victims' families.

The owner of the particular vehicle involved in the accident, however, has not yet approached the Khairpur police even after the lapse of six days. Police believes that the owner probably fears he will be arrested if he comes to Khairpur.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2014.