At least 62 people may have died in the fire resulting from a crash between an oil tanker and a bus on the Kathore link road between Superhighway and the National Highway near Karachi on January 11. PHOTO: AFP
On Monday, the Malir Bar Association decided to file a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court against the NHA, the Sindh government and the police. Speaking at a condolence reference at Malir courts, the lawyers remembered a deceased member of their fraternity, Advocate Muhammad Yasin Abbasi, who lost his life along with his family in Saturday’s accident.
Advocate Abbasi, along with his wife and three children, was travelling to his hometown, Sukkur, in the ill-fated coach. He was a senior lawyer and a member of the Malir Bar Association.
"We won't let their blood go in vain," said the bar association's general secretary, Abdul Hafeez Baloch, adding that the authorities who neglected their responsibilities should also be held accountable. "Let's not keep the case confined to the drivers and owners of the vehicles," he told The Express Tribune.
"Our main focus would be getting compensation to the families and increase pressure for quick DNA matching," he explained. He failed, however, to confirm when the plea will be filed.
Another lawyer Nasir Raza added that there should be a fair investigation into the case from every angle. "Accidents don't just happen due to reckless driving alone," he said. "They also suggest neglect on the part of the authorities."
Court boycott
The Malir courts were deserted on Monday as the legal fraternity boycotted the proceedings to show solidarity with their comrade. It was the second strike the lawyers observed since the new year started. There were no proceedings on Saturday when the courts were boycotted due to the killing of a lawyer in DHA.
Lessons to be learned
There are slim chances that the authorities will spring into action after this road accident as the investigations into the November 11, 2014, Khairpur accident yielded no significant results. The police tried to arrest NHA officials in the aftermath of the accident and sealed their offices but the momentum died soon after.
Sukkur commissioner Muhammad Abbas Baloch had summoned a joint meeting of NHA, Motorway police and the district police, and asked them to fix responsibility. During the meeting, NHA general manager Shabbir Shah even admitted that the portion of the highway near Thehri bypass was built five months ago but had become dangerous due to the use of substandard material by the contractor. Some parts of this road have been repaired by the contractor at his own cost.
Lawyers, Shabbir Shar and Shams Rajpar, had filed constitutional petitions in the high court's Sukkur bench against the NHA and Motorway police.
During the second hearing, the NHA had submitted an inquiry report, which was rejected by the honourable court and the authorities were ordered to submit a joint inquiry report by the NHA, Motorway police and the Khairpur district police Khairpur. The next date of hearing in this case is January 23.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 13th, 2015.
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