By Ghulam Murtaza
Many bike accidents have resulted in serious injuries and sometimes claimed lives in Chitral. The reckless attitude of bike riders has been of greatest concerns for the administration and as well as for the locals of the land.
It is said Pakistan is ranked at number three in numbers of fatal traffic accidents. It would not be wrong if we say that “Chitral” is on top amongst the districts in Pakistan. It has been witnessed in a year, many teenagers and young lads have lost their lives, whereas those who suffer injuries are much more in numbers.
Being a member of society, everyone is responsible for this. Now my general question is: why do we people allow them to do this? We do know it could cause long-term stress and tension but still we as a society keep mum and hold a soft corner toward this menace.
Furthermore, the gross negligence of traffic wardens and the local magistrates cannot be ignored. They are well aware of it; the roads especially in the city are getting scarier due to the rush in Traffic with every passing day. And at the same time, they are failed to implement the laws to punish the “guilty party.” Most of the riders, who are riding the two wheelers without helmet, and receive severe head injuries and is fatal most of the time. And it has also been witnessed that most of the Fashionable riders involved in the accidents are teenagers.
Thought it is a low cost machine yet again it is a high cost “Fashionable machine,” To avoid such menace and accidents following suggestions are of great importance. In my opinion, a single approach should be mandatory and primary syllabus for this leading cause of deaths and injuries. Keeping in view, Chitral’s prevalent trend of the fashionable riders, the fine should be increased by at least triple of the “existing one,” “and it should only be applicable to the underage, reckless and scatterbrained riders.”
Currently, if you are on ride without helmet, the fine is Rs 300. Over-speeding will only cost you 200. With violations like these, especially from a teenagers and under-age riders, a fine of few pennies for this “fast food generation” makes no sense at all.
These charges would be more effective if the amount is increased to at least Rs800-1000. And it should be doubled for the repeaters. I am personally confident that this will be a serious threat to “news break” violators. In my view, second option would be, to lunch an operation against the “underage” riders. A complete order should be issued from high officials to start an operation against all the reckless and under-age riders, and should impound their motorcycles in no time with a “heavy fine.”
In the end, we appeal all the parents to stop their children from indulging in this life threatening sport and we humbly request DPO and DC Chitral to take serious notice of this high-priority issue. May Allah SWT keep all of us in His Mercy and Protection.–Ameen