TOBA TEK SINGH: Mujahid Hussain, the driver of the bus which met a tragic accident on the Motorway (M-4) near Pindi Bhattian on Aug 20, was over speeding at the time of the crash, Hafizabad police said on Sunday.

Husain was arrested on Saturday. Earlier, it was believed that he was among the 18 passengers burnt alive after the bus ran into a pick-up from behind and caught fire. The bus was on way to Islamabad from Karachi.

During investigation, Husain told police that actually he was in a hurry as his transport company, Shehzada Coach, had asked him to pick the passengers of another company bus that had broken down on the motorway. He managed his exit moment the bus caught fire.

AWARENESS: Motorway police says it frequently holds meetings with transporters and drivers in general stands near all interchanges to guide them on motorway driving rules.

NH&MP spokesperson Syed Imran Ahmad told Dawn that motorway police during night patrolling stops vehicles at different points where drivers are delivered chewing gum and offered tea to help them remain active during the long drive.

Answering a question, he said it was not possible to assess if the drivers had required sleep/rest before getting behind the wheel.

He said special seminars are also arranged by motorway police to create awareness among drivers to avoid driving in case they had not been taken proper rest.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2023