KARACHI, Dec 26: The hue and cry raised by the print media and citizens alike in wake of a gruesome accident of a recklessly driven minibus, which claimed lives of twelve people and caused injuries to 14 others on Sunday morning, after it fell off the Malir bridge, is unlikely to awake the concerned agencies from their slumber who appear to be totally indifferent to the whole situation.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the minibus was driving the vehicle in a zig zag manner in front of traffic police constables, who did not take any action against him due to the fact that the heavy bribe had put a veil on their eyes.

The performance of Karachi traffic police, despite a number of cosmetic measures by the high police officials and increasing of financial earmarkings, has gone from bad to worse as hardly any police personnel can be sighted, deputed on city roads to ensure smooth flow of traffic and keep a vigil over unlawful activities of vehicles violating traffic rules and norms, discharging their duties in accordance with the assigned task.

They are observed most of the time hiding at some distance from traffic signals to grab any two-wheeler or private vehicles jumping traffic signal or are found involved in deep discourse under the shadow of a tree oblivious to the happenings in their surrounding.

Encouraged by their lackluster and pathetic approach the drivers of water tankers and public vehicles, including minibuses, coaches and buses, have developed the perception of being given a free hand by the administration as in case of any traffic violation they are rarely chased or taken to task by the traffic sergeant.

On an average, at least two to three persons die daily and the number of those injured is much higher in traffic accidents, but hardly any cognizance is taken by either traffic police, traffic engineering bureau or NGOs for the prevention of these accidents.

Sindh government in the past had announced various measures to curb growing number of road traffic accidents as various committees and commissions had been formed, task force formulated, and reports were published but little success has been achieved due to the reason that while the drivers commit violations the law enforcers puruse ignorant approach.

Some let-up was seen in traffic accidents during the tenure of former traffic DIG Yamin Khan but he was relinquished from his assignment setting an example for his successors not to pursue his line of action.

One of the major reasons of the growing accidents in Karachi is the issuance of fitness certificates to 90 per cent unfit and decades old vehicles, which are running on the roads without brakes, glasses and engine, after receipt of heavy bribe by the corrupt officials of Motor Vehicle Department.

The new DIG traffic, after taking charge, had sounded a note of promise that he would undertake effective measures for rectifying present state of pathetic traffic affairs in Karachi, but under the prevailing situation when the transporters have assumed the role of a mafia, his attempts are unlikely to yield any positive result.

It has been observed that the transporters always remain prepared to give strike calls whenever the government launched any half hearted drive to streamline their working.

The cooperation between all kinds of transporters to trample over the rights of the citizens was exemplary as they are in unision in their approach to resist the government’s drive to mitigate the sufferings of the commuters.

One of the passengers, commenting on the situation, said that in any civilized society such a miserable state of affairs could be cited as the worst example of bad governance as authorities concerned including the new city government is watching the situation with silence and instead of solacing plight of the commuters they are relying on mere issuance of statements.

Unless Sindh government pursue the approach of Punjab and administration of Islamabad, which effectively succeeded to rein over the transport mafia, the state of traffic affairs in Karachi would continue declining posing major threat to the lives of the citizens.—PPI