The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed Karachi Traffic DIG to submit comments on a petition against the movement of heavy vehicles in the city during rush hours.
A two-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar was hearing a petition filed by Rana Faizul Hasan, a civil rights campaigner and secretary general of the United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
The petitioner submitted that usually traffic jam occurs on all major arteries and streets including MA Jinnah Road, Shahrah-e-Faisal, II Chundrigar Road, Shahrah-i-Liaquat, Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road and Club Road due to the movement of heavy traffic during rush hours.
Besides, he said transporters violate traffic laws as they overload their vehicles and allow passengers to stand on footboards, along aisles and cling to windows and sit on rooftops of the buses. The capacity of public vehicles to carry commuters is clearly specified in traffic laws for the safety of commuters but due to negligence on part of the traffic authorities, the transporters violate the laws, endangering the lives of commuters.
The petitioner requested the court to direct authorities concerned to put restrictions on the movement of heavy vehicles in the city during rush hours to avoid the gridlock. The court was further requested to issue directions for strict implementation of the traffic laws.