Pakistan Bulletin
An up-to-date and informed analyses of key issues of Pakistan.
Editorial: Pakistan's Highways of Death
August 2024
Recent tragic bus accidents in Pakistan underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of our road safety infrastructure and enforcement practices.
Every year, hundreds of lives are brutally cut short due to road accidents, leaving a path of sorrow and raising serious concerns about the status of road safety in Pakistan. In the month of August alone, there were several accidents reported from across the country. A twin tragic bus accidents on the road in Punjab and Balochistan killed at least 36 people, many of them women and children. There was no survivor when a minibus with 25 passengers onboard plunged into a ravine in Kahuta, near Rawalpindi. Another accident in Balochistan claimed the lives of at least 11 people as a Lahore-bound bus overturned on a coastal highway and plunged into a ravine. Dozens of passengers were also injured in both incidents.
Like so many others before it, this tragedy is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of life on Pakistan’s roads and the critical need for a thorough overhaul of the country’s road safety infrastructure and thinking.
While each accident is a complicated combination of events, certain obvious flaws contribute greatly to such calamities. Poor road conditions, including potholes, insufficient illumination, and missing safety barriers, turn regular excursions into potential death traps. The absence of traffic law enforcement promotes irresponsible driving, speeding, and overloading, transforming automobiles into fatal weapons. The strength of traffic police versus growing number of vehicles and expanding road network can be gauged from the fact that in Karachi, there are less than 7,000 traffic police personnel while 350,000 new cars, on top of around 7 million vehicles plying the city, are registered in the city every year.
However, the poor design and dilapidated conditions of the highways also contribute to tragic accidents. This is particularly the case in Balochistan where, according to reports, in the last five years, there have been 46,000 traffic accidents, resulting in 64,000 injuries. Balochistan’s eight national highways span approximately 4,500 km, where the persistent rise in traffic mishaps has become a significant concern.
Poor road conditions, including potholes, insufficient illumination, and missing safety barriers, turn regular excursions into potential death traps.
The persistent culture of contempt for road restrictions exacerbates this fatal mix. From motorbikes weaving dangerously through traffic to overloaded trucks speeding down the highway, the brazen disregard for fundamental safety standards is a sobering reality. This indifference derives from a lack of understanding about road safety and a sense of impunity, exacerbated by lax enforcement and mild sanctions for violators.
The human toll of this calamity is very significant. Families are torn apart, breadwinners are lost, and futures are shattered instantly. Beyond the immediate catastrophe, survivors and their families must deal with the terrible burden of permanent disability, mental anguish, and financial difficulty.
Economic consequences are similarly astounding. Road accidents deplete an already overburdened healthcare system, reduce productivity, and impede economic progress. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that road traffic accidents cost low—and middle-income nations like Pakistan around 3 per cent of their GDP. However, other studies estimate that the economic loss might be between 3 and 5 per cent of GDP.
The question then arises: how many more lives must be sacrificed before we address this national issue with the seriousness it deserves? How many more families must be broken before road safety is prioritised as a national concern? Pakistan needs a multifaceted approach that addresses this issue straight on.
First and foremost, Pakistan’s transportation infrastructure must be completely overhauled. This involves creating and maintaining well-designed roadways with proper lighting, safety obstacles, and clear signs. Equally crucial is greater enforcement of car safety regulations, which ensures that only roadworthy vehicles use our roadways. For this purpose, enhancing the strength and capacities of traffic police is critical.
Second, Pakistanis must also transform their attitudes toward traffic legislation. This necessitates regular public awareness programs emphasising responsible driving, highlighting the repercussions of risky behaviour, and fostering a culture of mutual respect on the road. Educational institutions must take an active part in establishing these ideals in future generations.
Third, strict enforcement of traffic restrictions is unavoidable. This involves increasing fines for offences, investing in technology to monitor and prevent reckless driving, and guaranteeing independence and accountability for those charged with maintaining the law.
First and foremost, our transportation infrastructure must be completely overhauled. This involves creating and maintaining well-designed roadways with proper lighting, safety obstacles, and clear signs. Equally crucial is greater enforcement of car safety regulations, which ensures that only roadworthy vehicles use our roadways.
Responsibility rests with all stakeholders. The government must show the political will to prioritise and invest in road safety by implementing and enforcing stronger laws and allocating enough funds for ensuring safety protocols in infrastructure development. Law enforcement officials must abandon all pretence of forbearance and embrace a zero-tolerance policy toward traffic infractions.
Most importantly, the citizens must act responsibly, follow traffic laws and prioritise safety above speed.
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