OKARA: As many as four persons, including a 4 years old boy, were killed and three others were injured in separate road accidents on Sunday.

In one incident, a bus plying on the GT Road hit a motorcycle taking a U-turn on its main bridge. As a result, a minor child identified as Hasan Raza was killed on the spot while his father Mohsin Ali, mother Asifa Perveen and sister Abiha (5), residents of village 24/4L, were critically injured. They were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Okara Cantt.

In another incident on the GT Road, a motorcycle was rear-ended by a speeding car near Nazir Gardens at village 12/1AL and a middle-aged woman, Nargis Bibi, was killed on the spot.

In the third incident near Changa Stop on Basir Pur Road, an elderly pedestrian identified as Gulzar was run over and killed on the spot by a truck while he was crossing the road. In a separate incident, a loader rickshaw rear-ended a bus when the bus driver suddenly applied the brakes on the Renala-Chuchak Road near village 4/1RA. The rickshaw driver identified as Ramzan, a resident of Wahab Town Okara, died on the spot.

Rescue 1122 teams shifted all the dead bodies and injured to hospitals.

CRACKDOWN:The district traffic police in collaboration with the district police have launched a crackdown against overcharging and overloading across the district by transporters ahead of Eidul Azha.

The operation was supervised by DPO Dr Assad Ejaz Mallhi aimed at providing relief to commuters, ensuring transparency and discipline in the transport sector during the festive rush.

Officials said that so far 24 traffic challans had been issued to violators with a fine of Rs122,000 collected. They said the campaign had been initiated without discrimination against those involved in overcharging or breaching safety regulations through overloading.

The DPO reiterated that strict compliance with the directives of the Punjab chief minister was being ensured, adding that no form of passenger exploitation or unfair practices would be tolerated.

Authorities have also directed transporters to prominently display official fare lists at bus stands and inside vehicles to ensure passengers are informed and protected from overcharging.

Following the drive, Dipalpur Assistant Commissioner Faisal Shahzad Cheema visited the Dipalpur general bus stand and regional transport authority Secretary Aqsa Ghafoor collected information from commuters regarding overcharging and overloading on commuter vehicles.

The drive will continue throughout Eid days to safeguard public interest and maintain an orderly transport system, authorities maintained.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2026