SWAT: Residents of Mingora, including civil society activists, have shown concern over the violations of traffic rules in Mingora Bazaar, causing congestion on different roads and problems to commuters and shopkeepers.

They said the Main Bazaar Road was one-way, but motorcyclists, rickshaws, and even pick-ups violated the rule, causing traffic jams. They said wardens were unable to stop the violations.

“Several complaints have been lodged with the police to stop violation of one-way rule, but to no avail,” Amjad Ali, a resident of Mingora, deplored, saying he personally asked traffic police to stop the vehicles moving in the wrong direction, but they ignored the complaint.

The road in Mingora Bazaar was made one-way to facilitate smooth traffic flow, but many vehicles move in the opposite direction, blocking the artery for long times.

The locals also complained about a big number of cars parked on one side of the road, leaving little space for moving vehicles. “Half of the road is always occupied by parked vehicles, but the traffic police are unmoved,” Akbar Ali, another resident of Mingora, regretted.

The locals and civil society members demanded of the Swat police to take action against the traffic rules’ violators.

When contacted, district police officer Shafiullah Gandapur said he would soon take the matter with the traffic police.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2023