KARACHI: Traffic police on Sunday claimed to have launched a crackdown on dumper trucks after a video of one of the truck drivers speeding aggressively and eluding law enforcement on Sharea Faisal went viral on social media, prompting higher authorities to take its notice.

The traffic police took the action after an association of dumper truck owners did not hand over the ‘errant’ driver despite making a promise to this effect, said the spokesperson for the traffic police.

The viral video shared by a traffic police spokesperson shows that a dumper truck carrying gravel does not stop even after a police vehicle patrolling in the area signals it to stop on Sharea Faisal.

The video shows that the police vehicle is driving in front of the truck to pull over it, but the dumper driver refuses to stop and accelerates the heavy vehicle dangerously.

Traffic police launch action after dumpers association refuses to hand over reckless driver

The truck driver’s acceleration posed a significant threat to both the police and other vehicles on the road.

The traffic police authorities took its notice and directed all associations of the dumper trucks to handover the dumper truck and its driver to the police to face legal action.

As per the police statement, dumpers association president Liaquat Mehsud and others sought some time to this effect but later on they reneged on the promise and did not hand over the driver and dumper to the police.

As a result, on Saturday night, the police launched a ‘massive crackdown’, imposed fines (chalans) on 142 dumper trucks and seized 27 other heavy vehicles while one driver was also arrested against whom an FIR was registered under Sections 99 and 113 of the Motor Vehicles Ordinance of 1965.

The police stated that their action against the dumper truck drivers violating traffic laws would continue until the arrest of the errant driver and seizure of the said heavy vehicle.

“No one is above the law, they [dumper drivers] have to surrender before the country’s law,” said the traffic police statement.

Trailer runs over, kills two bike-riders

Another heavy vehicle ran over and killed two young men in the New Chali area late on Saturday night, police and rescue services officials said.

Mithadar SHO Naseer Ahmed Tanoli told Dawn that Zaid Ali, 25, and Noor Mohammed Aslam, 27, were heading someplace on their motorbike when a fast-moving trailer coming from I.I. Chundrigar Road towards Techno City hit them. They both died on the spot.

The bodies were shifted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for legal formalities.

The victims were maternal cousins and residents of the Kalri area.

The police have arrested driver Abid Ali and impounded the heavy vehicle.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025