August 16, 2006	Wednesday	Rajab 20, 1427

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LAHORE, Aug 15: Seven motorcyclists were killed and over 100 sustained injuries while performing stunts in different parts of the city on the Independence Day. Waseem of Green Town, Afzal of Mughalpura, Javed of Badami Bagh, Pernam Masih of Youhanabad, Akbar of Barki, Nadeem of Jail Road and an unidentified youngster of Muslim Town were killed.

However, more than 100 motorcyclists who lost control over vehicle while showing acrobats on the city roads sustained minor and serious injuries. They were admitted to hospitals.

The Rescue 1122 said that it had provided first aid to 34 injured persons and shifted 64 to hospitals.

Meanwhile, the 23 youngsters who had been arrested for doing a wheelie on Aug 13 and 14 will face imprisonment up to six months or a fine of Rs5,000 or both under the recently-amended Provincial Motorvehicles Ordinance of 1965.

Though the city police had arrested more than 200 motorcyclists for showing stunts on their two-wheelers, hooliganism and eve-teasing, only 23 of them have been declared ‘one-wheelers’ and booked under the relevant ordinance.

The law has been amended to penalise the people who drive or ride a motorcycle at a public place while standing or lying thereon or on one wheel which is likely to endanger a human life or property.

If someone commits the same offence within three years of his previous conviction, he shall be liable to be jailed for a term of two years or fined up to Rs10,000 or both.

The police may also seize and detain the motorcycle used in committing the offence and it shall not be released before or during the trial of the offence and may be forfeited at the time of conviction of the accused.

Besides seven revellers who died this Independence Day while doing a wheelie, over 100 youngsters have lost their lives either while racing or doing a wheelie during the last two and-a-half years in Lahore.

The police seem to be least bothered about the implementation of the law as they have more important assignments to do like providing security to VIPs and maintaining law and order. In some cases even if the police manage to round up a few racers at a picket, they let them off the hook after charging money from their families.

Gangs of wheelers inspired by some Indian and English flicks gather on the canal road, Gulberg main boulevard, Jail Road, Zafar Ali Road, The Mall, Ferozepur Road and Model Town especially on festivals and show stunts to bring some thrill to their lives. There are also reports that a motorcycle race is held in the early hours of Sundays on the Canal Road and youngsters also indulge in betting.

“How can the government stop one-wheeling? We can’t expect from our young generation which primarily belongs to a fun-starved nation to quit it without providing them with other alternatives,” says a senior officer.

He criticised the government for not developing a racing track in the city for the purpose. He apprehended that the law would be misused.

It is learnt that the Parks and Horticulture Authority had made a dirt track in the outskirts of Lahore near Jallo Park for the purpose but it had to be closed down for lack of public response.