Five trucks set on fire after speeding tanker kills another biker in Karachi

Tensions Escalate in Karachi After Fatal Road Accident

KARACHI: Tensions erupted in the city late Monday night after a motorcyclist was fatally struck by a speeding water tanker near Jail Chowrangi, sparking renewed concerns over road safety in Karachi.

The accident triggered public outrage, with angry citizens setting five water tankers ablaze near the crash site. However, firefighters responded swiftly, extinguishing the flames and preventing further damage.

Govt Takes Notice

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar took immediate notice of the incident, directing police officials to submit a detailed report on the accident and the resulting unrest. He also stressed the need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

The incident adds to a growing crisis in Karachi, where traffic-related fatalities have been rising at an alarming rate. Over the past two months alone, at least 108 people have lost their lives in road accidents across the city—72 in urban areas and 24 in the suburbs.

Among these fatalities, eight people died in four separate accidents involving dumpers.

In response to the surge in casualties caused by heavy vehicles, the Sindh government imposed a ban earlier this month restricting their entry into the city during daytime. As per the provincial directive, dumpers can now only operate in Karachi between 10 PM and 6 AM.

Monday’s tragedy has reignited calls for stricter road safety measures and better traffic enforcement to curb the increasing number of accidents.

Government’s Response to Rising Road Fatalities

Following multiple dumper truck-related deaths earlier this month, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon addressed the media on February 13, outlining the government's measures to tackle the crisis.

Key steps announced by the provincial government include:

• Mandatory fitness certification for all heavy transport vehicles. Moving forward, all large transport vehicles must have a valid fitness certificate to operate.
• Implementation of a barcode system for all registered water tankers operating from authorized hydrants. Only vehicles that meet safety standards will be issued barcodes, while unregistered vehicles will be seized.
• Re-evaluation of previously registered vehicles to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
• A 30-day grace period for heavy transport vehicles to obtain fitness certificates before enforcement begins.
• Revised operational hours for dumper trucks in Karachi. Previously permitted on roads between 11 PM and 6 PM, dumpers are now only allowed between 10 PM and 6 AM to ease congestion and enhance safety.

Pakistan, Memon stated that road safety is a shared responsibility, not just a failure of one institution or individual. He stressed that reckless drivers, traffic law violators, and government authorities all bear responsibility for preventing accidents.

Additionally, he noted that vehicle fitness regulations are not new and revealed that the government is planning to outsource the transport department to improve enforcement and efficiency.

With mounting pressure from the public, authorities face increasing demands to implement stronger road safety measures and ensure the protection of Karachi’s residents.