RAWALPINDI: As many as 20 people were killed and 1,356 injured in 1,186 road traffic accidents reported to Rescue 1122 during last month.

The major causes of accidents included speeding, careless driving, taking wrong turns, tyre bursts and other factors. Rescue teams carried out operations at accident sites while maintaining the average response time, a spokesman for the emergency services said.

He also said that a total of 1,356 people were affected in 1,186 accidents, including 20 deaths, 601 serious injuries and 735 minor injuries. The victims included 1,140 males and 216 females, while most of the affected people were between the ages of 11 and 40.

The spokesman said that a total of 5,666 emergency calls were received on the helpline during February, on which timely rescue actions were taken and services were provided to citizens.

According to the released statistics, the 5,666 emergencies included 1,186 road traffic accidents, 141 fire incidents, 111 crime incidents, seven gas/cylinder leakages, 262 falls from height and 547 other incidents of various nature.

During the same period, 3,409 patients were shifted to nearby hospitals after being provided first aid, while a total of 5,405 victims were given timely rescue services. As many as 14 people were injured in 141 fire incidents in different parts of the district.

Rescue firefighters, taking timely and professional action, brought the fires under control and saved property worth about Rs276 million from possible damage.

The causes of fires included short circuits, careless smoking, gas leakage and other factors.

District Emergency Officer Rawalpindi Engineer Sibghatullah directed the public to adopt precautionary measures related to road and fire safety so that accidents could be reduced. Rescue 1122 is ready to serve citizens at any time on a call, and the trust of the public is a valuable asset of the institution.

Meanwhile, following the orders of the Chief Minister of Punjab, a record increase was witnessed in the issuance of driving licences by the City Traffic Police Murree, a police spokesman said. A total of 1,540 citizens were provided licensing facilities during February 2026.

During last month, the City Traffic Police issued 747 learner permits, 577 motorcycle licences, 115 car driving licences and renewed 99 licences. The provision of modern, fast and transparent licensing facilities to citizens continues.

Taking indiscriminate action against traffic violations, a total of 4,573 challan tickets were issued and a fine of Rs10,349,000 was imposed, the spokesman said. As many as 791 challans were issued for riding motorcycles without helmets, 757 for driving without a licence, 709 for using pressure horns, and 595 for other violations.

For smog violations, 112 challans were issued; 60 challans were issued for driving without registration, while 52 challans were issued for using a mobile phone while driving.

The City Traffic Police appealed to the citizens of Murree to strictly abide by traffic laws to protect their lives and property, as well as that of others. For more information and guidance, citizens can contact helpline 1915.

In case of any traffic situation or problem at any location in Murree, citizens may immediately contact the Traffic Control Room at 051-9269200.

In light of the orders of Chief Traffic Officer Murree Imran Razaq, the City Traffic Police Murree is ensuring the provision of all possible facilities to the public and the effective implementation of traffic laws.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2026