The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday sought a comprehensive project report from the Sindh government regarding alternate transport to replace Qingqi rickshaws.
The SC bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Maqbool Bakar questioned the additional attorney general (AAG) Sindh that when there was no alternate transport for Qingqi rickshaws why the government reached the SHC and requested to ban it.
“Qingqi rickshaws were restricted to ply in limited areas but they started running on main roads as well as superhighway. These rickshaws were violating Motor Vehicle Rules 1969,” the AAG submitted before the court.
The court remarked that if there was something wrong it should have been made correct. It remarked that minibuses plying on the city roads were in dilapidated condition as well.
The Sindh government is spending money on unnecessary projects but public transport issue is still beyond its attention; affordable public transport has been finished in the metropolis, the bench remarked.
The court directed the secretary transport to hold a meeting with association of Qingqis and other relevant departments to make a comprehensive plan for alternate public transport for the citizens. The court directed the secretary transport to submit the report on Thursday (today).
The SC bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Maqbool Bakar was hearing a civil petition for leave to appeal to set aside the SHC order of imposing a ban on three-wheelers motor cycle rickshaws better known as Qingqi rickshaws.
Advocate Ghulam Qadir Jatoi and Advocate Syed Abdul Waheed had filed the petition on behalf of Altaf Raza, president of the Association for the Welfare of Owners and Staff of Qingqi, Sindh.
Citing Sindh government through the transport secretary, excise and taxation secretary, district regional transport authority secretary and the deputy inspector general of traffic police as respondents, the association pleaded the court to declare the impugned order of the high court. They requested the apex court to allow the plying of Qingqi rickshaws on the roads so that their economic murder can come to an end.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on 5th August imposed a ban on running of Qingqi Rickshaws operating without route permits and other necessary documentations on main roads of Karachi and other parts of Sindh. The SHC had also directed traffic police and transport authorities to take action against Qingqi rickshaws.
The SHC bench comprising Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and Justice Mohammad Junaid Ghaffar in its verdict observed that plying of these rickshaws is violation of Motor Vehicle Rules 1969.
