AGGRIEVED COMMUTERS: As there is no efficient public transport service from the I.I. Chundrigar Road to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area, I, like many others, use a private pick-and-drop van service. A serious problem arises when traffic police officials do not allow drivers to stop even for five minutes while waiting for passengers at stops, and, instead, issue hefty challans. Working women using this service should not be expected to simply rush and board the vans like soldiers. Those heading the city’s traffic police department should address this public grievance and establish proper stops near offices, allowing drivers to park and wait for their subscribed passengers.
Zafar Ul Huda Abbasi
Karachi
DIRE COST OF INSECURITY: While returning from Quetta the other day, I noticed numerous coal trucks standing idle. The transporters had gone on strike following the destruction of several coal-laden trucks carrying cargo worth millions of rupees. The resulting losses disrupted coal transportation and affected the livelihoods of countless families. I learned about a transporter whose new truck was reduced to ashes during its first haul. The worsening security situation in Balochistan is not merely a political or administrative issue, it directly affects ordinary citizens, workers and traders. The authorities must take urgent measures.
Mudasir Khan
Zhob
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS: The winding roads of Malakand Pass have turned into a death trap due to heavy traffic. Giant, overloaded vehicles move on steep inclines at the proverbial snail’s pace, causing traffic jams. Since this narrow route lacks additional crawler lanes, drivers of small vehicles frequently run out of patience, and try to overtake these huge containers on sharp curves. As oncoming traffic is out of sight around blind bends, this risky action regularly results in terrible head-on collisions. The relevant authorities should regulate heavy vehicles’ timings, widen the sharp curves, and strictly enforce lane discipline.
Muhammad Sohaib
Malakand
Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2026