NAROWAL: As many as 42 passengers were injured in two accidents in Sheikhupura and Narowal.

According to a Rescue 1122 spokesperson, the control room received an emergency call from the Adiyan stop on Old Narang Mandi Road, reporting that a bus had overturned due to speeding.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene immediately after receiving the call. With the help of local residents, the rescue team safely removed the 19 injured passengers from the overturned vehicle.

The injured include Mohammad Usman, 34, Mohammad Latif, 55, Mohammad Irfan, 36, Mohammad Zaid, 34, Mubashir Ali, 25, Banu Akhtar, 55, Mohammad Taib, 26, Ali, 22, Mohammad Zahid, 27, Sajjad, 35, Mohammad Shabbir, 40, Hamza, 25, Shazia Bibi, 22, Bashir Bibi, 40, The medical team provided first aid at the scene before shifting the injured to a government hospital for further treatment. Local police also arrived at the site following information about the accident.

According to the Rescue 1122 spokesperson, five of the injured passengers are critical.

In the second incident, a speeding passenger bus overturned on Zafarwal Road while attempting to avoid hitting a motorcycle rider, leaving 23 passengers injured.

According to Harmat Ali, spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Narowal, the control room received a call from the Kurram Shah Wali stop on Zafarwal Road. The caller reported that a passenger bus traveling from Zafarwal to Narowal had overturned.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene immediately upon receiving the information. With the assistance of local residents, the injured were successfully removed from the bus. Among those injured were Farhan, 21, Mohammad Majeed, 51, Mohammad Ashraf, 45, Ali Raza, 39, Ibrahim, 60, Kulsoom Bibi, 50, Muzammal Ali, 18 and others.

The Rescue 1122 medical team provided first aid on site before transferring the injured to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, Narowal. Local police also arrived at the scene to assist with the situation. According to hospital sources, the condition of seven injured passengers is said to be critical.

SPEED TRACKERS: SialkotDeputy Commissioner Mohammad Zulqarnain Langrial has directed that a comprehensive plan be developed for installing speed trackers in public transport vehicles to help reduce traffic accidents.

He gave the secretary of the Regional Transport Authority a two-week deadline to present viable recommendations in this regard.

He issued these directives while chairing a meeting of the District Coordination Committee at the DC Office. The meeting was attended by Lt-Col Mohammad Umair, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Mohammad Ayub Bukhari, Assistant Commissioner Sialkot Anum Babar, Assistant Commissioner Daska Usman Ghani and representatives from the FIA, local government, traffic police, social welfare, customs, and civil defence departments.

The DC stressed the need for a strict crackdown on underage drivers and directed that surveillance cameras be installed for 24-hour monitoring at locations known for dangerous stunts and one-wheeling on motorcycles - particularly the Shahabpura Flyover.

From March 14 to April 4, the district administration issued 1,639 challans against underage drivers, 209 challans for one-way violations, 6,100 challans for speeding and reckless driving, 25,749 challans for vehicles or motorcycles without licence plates. The DC said over the past two weeks, three major filling stations operating without licences have been sealed, along with 64 smaller illegal petrol pumps. He said 19 cases have been registered for illegal LPG decanting, and 35 LPG stations have been fined.

He further directed the formation of special squads to take action against beggars operating at night and ordered an operation against electricity theft with the onset of summer. From March 14 to April 4, 34 FIRs were registered in connection with electricity theft, leading to a recovery of Rs2.9 million.

During the same period, 1,562 temporary and 85 permanent encroachments were removed, with 126 cases registered and fines amounting to Rs429,000 imposed.

The DC declared Khwaja Safdar Road and Kashmir Road as “Model Roads”.

He ordered that zebra crossings be marked within a week, all traffic signals be made fully operational and appropriate sign boards be installed.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025