KARACHI, Jan 25: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has described the increase in road accidents a matter of concern and stressed the need for a study regarding the loss of precious lives and those injured in accidents.

Presiding over a high-level meeting at the Governor’s House on Thursday, he called for immediate identification of 10 such points where accidents had taken place in a series during the last 10 days.

He noted that in the near past, frequent accidents used to take place in North Nazimabad and at Nagan Chowrangi which were controlled to a great extent with minor engineering adjustments.

Dr Ibad suggested the streamlining of the medico-legal department afresh and extending its scope immediately to the city's all 18 towns so that the existing pressure on the three major hospitals was reduced.

He said the private hospitals, too, should be encouraged to set up their medico-legal sections and the same be publicised with the media's cooperation so that people benefit from the facility at the nearest hospital instead of going to the three major hospitals.

The governor appreciated the efforts of members of the Road Safety Advisory Group and asked it to give suggestions with regard to traffic-jam problems, roads' re-engineering, immediate ambulance service, comprehension of traffic rules, streamlining the issuance of driving licence on scientific lines so that a right direction could be pursued to cope with the impending issues.

He emphasised the need for promoting a culture of using overhead bridges at public level which, he said, could help reduce road accidents.

He observed that in the past, 28 bridges were constructed out of which only six were in use. He said the basic reason for this was their inappropriate locations and use of sub-standard material.

Dr Ishratul Ibad directed officials that to save the roads from damages, the water tanker service should be restricted to only those areas where water supply was required, otherwise legal action be taken against tankers.

—APP