01 November 2004	Monday	17 Ramazan 1425

Pakistan is extremely deficient in basic infrastructural facilities. Essential infrastructure services like roads, airports, power, telecommunication and others provide foundation of economic growth and stimulate the economy. This sector stands neglected.

Development of infrastructure has never been on the agenda of economic revival of the government. Infrastructure development does not figure out prominently in any of the authenticated document of the government, let this be Economic Survey of Pakistan or the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP)Annual Reports.

Indirectly and remotely, infrastructure development is covered in public sector development programmes (PSDP) with other sectors. It is only during recent years that we hear and read about the importance of infrastructure.

Recent trends: Fortunately, the SBP, in its quarterly reports, has started making references on the importance of infrastructure development; and in one of its recent publications, has rightly suggested that out of huge incomes on savings on account of domestic borrowings, government can raise the level of public investment by about 20 per cent towards infrastructure and social service sectors at district and municipal levels.

But the fact remains that the ability to develop and expand essential infrastructure for use of both industrial and emerging middle class in Asia and the Far East will decide which of the nations will emerge as formidable economic power in the present century.

Options: What options do we have under the existing circumstances? The situation demands for a creation of a specialized organization to plan, promote and develop infrastructure in Pakistan supported by a specialized financing institution.

Hidden hands: There are also certain invisible factors which have rarely been addressed. These pertain to qualitative aspects of infrastructure. On a busy round-about, a defective and an ill-planned traffic signal may add to the miseries of people and result in loss of time and fuel besides creating environmental problems. Another vital issue is the attitude problem of the majority of citizens!! Lack of civic sense a and impatience of citizens have a dire consequence in incapacitating the infrastructural facilities.

Attitude problem: Attitude problem of citizens deserves some serious consideration. Lack of civic sense breeds many social distortions. Impatience on the roads, whether on foot or on wheels has serious repercussions. Ignorance of traffic rules is already adding to the miseries of the people using roads. Of late, motor cyclists have assumed the role of shadows of deaths on roads. Time magazine in its issue of August 8, 2004 has carried out a detailed story on road traffic in Asian cities. The Time's survey shows that 80 per cent of fatal road accidents in Thailand are caused by motor cyclists.

Traffic jams: The author has identified, during the course of a of my doctorinal research survey, some 23 reasons/factors which cause traffic congestions or traffic jams on the roads. Our recent bitter experience of Expo-2004 is still fresh in memories when roads are closed for security reasons relating to the visits of dignitaries. But this does not happen very frequently. Frequent traffic congestions, the author believes, are caused by our own mercurial attitude while we are on roads.

Two measures: It is not possible to analyse and comprehend the complex issues in a detailed manner in this small article. But for the general needs, the consensus emerges that incidence and frequency of traffic jams can be reduced by 30 to 40 per cent if we can persuade and educate the road users to behave, exhibit restraint and observe traffic laws. The efforts of persuasion and education, however, will have to be supported by smart, dedicated and trained traffic police. These two measures do not require substantial investment. What required is an approach based on scientific planning.

Motor cyclists and wagon drivers have been found to be the major traffic offenders. A survey shows that 50 per cent of wagon drivers are without any valid driving license. The survey also reveals that 40 per cent of the wagon fleet belongs to police officials. Under these circumstances, the extent of 'compromise' between the traffic police and the traffic offenders can be well imagined adding to the sufferings of the general public.

A brief and capsulated outline of two measures are presented in the following paragraphs :

1. The road users i.e. pedestrians and motorists must be told what traffic rules are. These rules should be displayed on every round-abouts in Urdu. On all the key round-abouts/crossings, perpetual announcements should be made about the traffic rules and well worded clear messages to behave. Other visual measures could also be taken.

In a long term prospective, a subject can be introduced at school level syllabus (Class IX and X) on responsibilities of good citizen while on roads. Two key traffic rules i.e. not to break the signal and to give right of way should be enforced in letter and spirit.

2. Motorists of all kinds with 'me-first' attitude should be penalized heavily even if the law has to be amended or a new law to be enacted. We may need not go very far to see the benefits of implementation of the enforcement of this law. The traffic of Lahore which was very unruly has become orderly.

3. Public gathering, political or religious or of any kind which may affect the traffic flow should not be allowed on the roads or nearby. Our politicians, religious heads or government functionaries must appreciate the inconvenience caused to the general public. Our roads have become market places for politicians and religious leaders to promote their ideas and slogans. It is itself a sign of under-developed society. Laws should be enacted to prohibit such gathering and implemented with iron-hands.

4. So much on correcting the attitude problem of the general public/road users but what about the correcting the attitudes of the managers of road-traffics or in simple words, our traffic police? The matter is not that simple! Existing force of traffic police, about 90 per cent, is totally incompetent. But we cannot throw them off out of job. Best possible option is to vigorously train them.

Training should be supervised by experts from recognized local or foreign institutions. Thereafter, they should be properly equipped. Their pay scales and packages would be drastically improved. New recruitments should be qualified and trained traffic personnel belonging to the local areas.

5. Motivated and qualified traffic police personnel can deliver better if they also equally empowered to deal with the offenders. Presently, traffic police personnel have neither authority nor power to book the offender except for registering challans for violation of traffic rules which ends up in paying nominal penalty and offender comes out clean. The law should provide for confiscation or warning for confiscation of driving license.

The problem of 'connection' or offenders being VIP "very well connected" should also be redressed by providing security and legal cover to traffic police officials as prevalent in other cities or countries.