In response to an increasing incidence of traffic incidents involving dumper trucks, the Sindh government on Thursday mandated that all heavy vehicles in Karachi possess a physical fitness certificate.
Following a high-level conference led by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to address the city’s startling traffic accident rate and the subsequent condemnation of the authorities for their incompetence, the decision was made.
The provincial administration only permitted heavy vehicles to operate between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. last week, prohibiting their access into the city during the day. Trucks transporting water, petroleum products, medications, meat, and other necessities were given exceptions, nevertheless.
“The provincial government will ensure that all heavy vehicles plying the roads carry a fitness certificate,” Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated at a press briefing held after today’s meeting.
He also mentioned that all registered vehicles will receive barcodes and a fitness certificate from the transport department.
Memon added that all heavy trucks will have 30 days to obtain the fitness certificate or risk being banned from the road. “The Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) will also provide barcodes to its water tankers and issue fitness certificates,” Memon stated.
Memon stated that the Punjab government had issued similar regulations, which would now be strictly enforced in the province, and that large vehicles arriving from other provinces should have a fitness certificate provided by the Sindh government.
“The excise department has 80,000 number plates that have not been collected,” he remarked in response to the concerns that the vehicle number plates were not issued on time. The province currently only has two motor vehicle inspectors, but that number is rising.
According to the minister, a bill passed by the Sindh Assembly prohibits car showroom owners and agents from selling unregistered vehicles. He issued a warning that any unregistered car found on the road would be seized, and the car dealership would be closed.
He asked owners of showrooms to follow the rules and sell their cars after they have been registered.
Memon further mentioned that agents or showroom owners can purchase cars for investment purposes alone on car carriers. He declared that “car dealership owners and agents cannot sell a vehicle before registering it.”
He stated that while vehicles from other provinces can only be transported on car trailers, those imported into the province would be registered.
The issue meeting is chaired by CM Sindh.
According to a statement from the CM House spokesperson, CM Shah attended a high-level meeting today and gave orders to take quick action in response to the escalating traffic problems and the growing number of traffic accidents that have resulted in at least nine fatalities and provoked
Memon, Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani, Minister for Excise Mukesh Chawla, Home Interior Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, and other officials were present at the meeting, the release said.
According to the statement, “a number of significant decisions pertaining to vehicle fitness and traffic management were made during the meeting.” Through the police head, the chief minister gave directives to the district police, traffic police, local government, and excise department.
Widespread demonstrations against traffic police for permitting the unrestricted movement of dump trucks during the day have been triggered by recent incidents. To stop further innocent lives from being lost, opposition parties including Jamaat-i-Islami and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have demanded that heavy vehicle traffic be restricted.
Governor Kamran Tessori called on the Sindh government, ministries, and police to act in response to the increasing number of tragic incidents and the uncontrolled flow of heavy traffic. protests in Karachi.
MQM-H’s Afaq Ahmed arrested for incitement
Earlier this week, MQM-Haqiqi chairman Afaq Ahmed was taken into custody on charges of vandalism and arson for allegedly inciting protestors to attack heavy vehicles.
Sindh IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon said that the MQM-H chief was arrested on charges of “instigating people for torching heavy vehicles in the metropolis”. He was presented in court and sent to jail on judicial remand.
On Monday, Ahmed had held a press conference and called on the youth to “prepare themselves” and “assume responsibilities” rather than relying on the government’s promise of implementing the ban on the movement of heavy vehicles during daytime.
Soon after in what appeared to be acts of vigilante justice, unknown persons torched four heavy vehicles in the city. Police said a trailer, two water tankers and a dump truck were attacked in Landhi, Awami Colony, Surjani Town and Sharifabad areas and set on fire.
Transporters and owners took to the street after the loss of their vehicles and blocked the National Highway in Bin Qasim and Northern Bypass in protest over the violent incidents.
