Implementation of traffic rules can help curtailing fatal road traffic:Governor Punjab

Lahore: Effective planning and implementation of traffic rules can help curtailing fatal road traffic accidents, which are claiming the precious human lives to the volume of 1.3 million across the world and 13000 in Pakistan annually, this was unanimously acknowledged by speakers at a seminar held on “Traffic Discipline and Safety” by National Highways & Motorway Police at a local hotel in Lahore.

The Seminar was attended by a large number of students, transporters, industrialists, and representatives of different NGOs, Industrialists, media persons and people belonging to different walks of life. Governor Punjab Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana was the chief guest of the seminar while among other notables were Inspector General National Highways & Motorway Police Muhammad Saleem Bhatti, Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal, DIG Mirza Faran Baig, SSP Masroor Alam Kalachi, Advisor for Health Punjab Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Minister for Agriculture Punjab Dr. Farrukh Javed, Federal Parliamentary Secretary Mian Alam Dad Laleka, Minister for Population Welfare Punjab Zakia Shahnawaz Khan, renowned singer Jawad Ahamd, former IGPs, and representatives of TEVTA, Nestle, 3M Co.

Speaking on the occasion Governor Punjab, Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana said that we are unaware of road sense as a nation and far away from culture or safe  and defensive driving. However, by adopting admirable standards of professional excellence, public service policies and equal implementation of law NH&MP has brought a visible change in traffic discipline on national highways and motorways said governor. He further said that eighteen years old department of Motorway Police is role model for 68 years old other departments of this country. He emphasized that licenses of those involved in sever violation should be suspended and this suspension should have effective impact.

Inspector General National Highways & Motorway Police n while addressing the participants of seminar said that our highways are expanding very fast and with this expansion especially construction of Pak-China economic corridor, motorway police will have to work extraordinarily to maintain high standards of enforcement set by it. To further the cause of road safety NH&MP has forwarded a proposed syllabus of road safety rules to federal and provincial governments to be included in educational curriculum of students from class 1 to 12.

He further said that NH&MP has established a Driving Licensing Authority which follows international standards of procedure before issuing a license and his department is trying to get ISO certification in order to make this license valid for other countries. IG Motorways further said that official radio of NH&MP FM 95 will soon be operating all over Pakistan. Zero tolerance against overloading of goods has been ensured to save precious highways, he further maintained.

IG NH&MP further said that in order to produce quality drivers with better road sense and awareness of traffic rules, NH&MP has established Road Safety Training Institutes in all the major districts of Pakistan.

Among other speakers of the seminar were Neuro Surgeon Dr. Zafar Iqabl, Writer/Columnist Sofia Bedar, comedian Suhail Ahmad, Singer Jawad Ahmad, Writer Asghar Nadeem Syed, head of psychiatry department KEMU Dr. Aftab Asif and Prof. Dr. Ammad Hassan of Transportation Engineering department of UET. The speakers were of the view that there is dire need to create awareness about following traffic rules and adopting road safety measures so that loss of precious lives and properties may be prevented.