A meeting of Safety, Quality and Environmental Standards (SQES) of the Quality Standardisation and Certifications Group suggested a system of annual vehicles fitness certifications should be introduced in Capital area as a model so that the Provincial authorities could be persuaded to follow it later on.
At present only public vehicles are required to get fitness certificates while private ones are exempted. The Sub-committee, formed by Engineering Development Board (EDB), meeting was held under the chairmanship of EDB CEO Aitazaz A. Niazi.
The new system will cover all types of vehicles and there is a need to strengthen the Institutions of Motor Vehicle Examiners in this regard. It was observed that unmonitored and unchecked conditions of road plying vehicles in the absence of proper roadworthiness certificates defeat all efforts for fuel efficiency, environmental protection and road safety.
It was suggested that the vehicle fitness certification activity should be outsourced to private sector with minimum required diagnostic facilities. The selected garages must have sufficient expertise employees and equipped with latest machines.
A complete check-list for a vehicle drafted by the Board was also circulated and the stakeholders were requested to send their inputs. It was decided that future models of vehicles should include proper fog lights, back-seat belts with locking retractors.
A meeting with all local manufacturers will be arranged shortly in this connection. Earlier, in his opening remarks EDB CEO briefed the meeting about various systems of motor vehicle certification in developed countries, especially in the United State of America. He also pointed out various methods which could easily be adopted in Pakistan. CEO asked the Motorways Police to start media campaign to educate the public to keep their vehicles roadworthy. The meeting was attended by officials of NTRC, Motorway Police, EPA Punjab, ENERCON, EDA and other concerned departments.