By Khalid Khattak
The growing road traffic accidents in Lahore in particular and in other areas in general should be an eye-opener for those at the helm. A one month’s data of Rescue 1122 shows one citizen losing his/her life in road traffic accidents in the city.
Two media workers, associated with Pakistan’s Neo TV network and Channel24, died in separate road accidents in Lahore recently.
According to media reports Ali Raza, 28, was a reporter while Bilal Rana, also 28, was a non-linear editor.
In November 2013, senior journalist Akhtar Hayat, 60, had died due to head injuries he had suffered in a road accident.
The following startling facts are enough to understand the gravity of the situation vis-à-vis road safety in Lahore in particular and in Pakistan in general.
Only one month’s data (September 30, 2015 to October 31, 2015) obtained from Pakistan’s premier rescue service Rescue 1122 reveals that the agency responded to 3,429 Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) in Lahore district, the provincial metropolis of the Punjab province.
The total victims of these RTAs of one month were 3,602 while 30 citizens were killed in these accidents. This means on average one person died per day because of RTAs in Lahore during October 2015.
“The rescue 1122 is responding to average 500 Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) across Punjab affecting 600 persons, with 400 serious injured and 200 minor injured. On average 120 RTAs per day take place in Lahore only”, says Rescue 1122 spokesperson Mr. Jam Sajjad Hussain.
With an estimated population of around 8 to 10 million people, Lahore is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. The data shows that district Lahore with 30 persons killed in RTAs topped the list of loss of lives because of the RTAs in Punjab followed by Faisalabad 22, Sheikhupura 21, Gujranwala 20 and Multan 13.
Who is responsible? 264 people killed in road traffic accidents in Punjab in just one month! https://t.co/PShakTwVbq
— Khalid Khattak (@Khalid_Khattak) November 5, 2015
The district-wise deaths because of RTAs in Punjab during Sept 30 to Oct 31, 2015.
