SIALKOT: Overloaded public buses are a common scene on Sialkot city and district roads posing life hazards for passengers.

The situation has resulted into several fatal road accidents, claiming dozens of precious lives.

Traffic police officials look the other way to overloading in public transport.

Talking to Dawn, an official said there was also a shortage of public transport, due to which there was overloading in buses.

Bus operators first stuff passengers in the bus like poultry birds in a cage. When there is no room inside the bus, the passengers sat on the rooftop. Several others can be seen foisted with windows.

The official added that factory owners in Sialkot were also doing the overloading practices to pick and drop their industrial workers.

The officials also said there was a shortage of traffic police personnel in Sialkot district, due to which the traffic police were unable to check overloaded buses.

Social, business and political circles of Sialkot have appealed to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the district administration to look into the matter.

HAJ FLIGHTS: The national flag carrier - Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) - will begin its Haj flights operation from the Sialkot International Airport on Wednesday.

According to Sialkot airport Chairman Khawar Anwar Khwaja, the PIA will transport 3,794 pilgrims with 12 flights from Sialkot to Jeddah-Saudi Arabia.

A special ceremony will be held at the airport before the first flight take off.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2017