KARACHI, Sept 5: The adviser to the chief minister for Local Government, Waseem Akhtar, has asked the traffic police to act without any discrimination against those involving in violation of laws. He said even ministers, influential people, members of the assemblies should be booked for traffic violations and examples be set in this regard.

However, he said citizens should not be caused unnecessary inconvenience while experienced officers should be posted at under- construction roads to avert traffic jams.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of five-day Road Safety Education Programme organized by the Mass Transit and Transport Communication Department of the City Government at the Civic Center on Monday.

The inaugural ceremony was also addressed by DCO Fazlur Rehmann, DG for Mass Transit/EDO Transport Malik Zahirul Islam, DIG for Traffic Falak Khurshid, EDO for Education Sikandar Ali Lakhir, Road Safety Officer Zafar Ahsan and Shamshad Ali Khan.

The adviser said it was the desire of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan and the government to improve the traffic system in Karachi.

The adviser called upon the officials to work for the progress of the city without any discrimination and by remaining above politics. He said he himself was working for 18 hours a day.

Mr Akhtar urged the electronic media to initiate television programmes for creating traffic awareness in the people, particularly childrenn.

He told the teachers to impart road safety education in their schools to help contain traffic accidents involving children.

The DCO said that South Asia population registered a growth of 3.5 per cent while it was 5 per cent in Karachi whereas planning was done for 1.9 per cent growth rate which led to creating of problems.

He said the Sindh government was trying to solve problems of Karachi and the road safety issue was likely to assume serious proportions in the future.

The adviser told the traffic police that if anyone of them strictly enforced the laws and if his action was correct, he would ensure that no injustice was done to him.

DIG Falak Khurshid informed the audience that almost 414 new vehicles were registered here daily and on an average 17 vehicles a day and 150,000 new vehicles came on the city roads in a year which was causing problems and which were to be solved by all concerned together.

He pointed out that the Sindh governor was holding meetings almost every week to review traffic-related issues while the home minister and the adviser for Local Government, too, were paying special attention to the solution of these issues.

EDO for Transport Malik Zahirul Islam said that every year 600 major and 1,200 minor accidents took place with the ratio of pedestrians being at 50 per cent and 26 per cennt in respect of children.

He said this road safety education programme was being organized on the directive of the Sindh governor with focus on children.

Under the programme, he said, teachers of 3,500 government and 6,000 private schools would be imparted phase-wise training in road safety education.

He said different courses had been devised for pedestrians and children of different ages.

EDO for Education Sikandar Ali said that the education department would fully participate in the programme and also publicize it. — APP