KARACHI – The Sindh High Court has ordered the registration of cases against the Chairman of the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Inspector General of Motorway Police over traffic accidents on highways.
The court was hearing a petition regarding the poor condition of highways and the rising number of traffic accidents. Officials from the NHA and Motorway Police appeared before the court during the hearing.
Expressing displeasure with NHA officials, the court asked what steps the authority was taking to improve the condition of highways. NHA’s Member South, Abdul Latif Mehsar, informed the court that 11 projects and schemes were currently underway, including rehabilitation projects in Sindh.
Justice Nisar Bhambhro questioned whether the officials were aware of how many people had lost their lives in accidents and asked whether emergency facilities were available on motorways and highways.
The NHA official responded that a trauma and rescue center was operating at Nooriabad on the M-9 Motorway.
Justice Bhambhro remarked that the NHA was the “most inefficient institution,” adding that incompetent people had been placed in offices.
The NHA’s lawyer argued that accidents do not occur only on highways but also on other major roads. He said licensing and vehicle fitness fall under provincial responsibility and that the Sindh government had been repeatedly asked to address axle load issues and stop overloaded vehicles from entering motorways.
Justice Bhambhro responded that the NHA collects money and should therefore fulfill its responsibilities, asking officials to review the NHA Safety Ordinance to determine whether highway safety falls under provincial police or motorway police jurisdiction.
The court directed that cases related to highway accidents be registered against the NHA chairman and the IG Motorway Police, adding that if traffic is halted on highways due to poor conditions, the financial loss would have to be borne by the NHA.
Justice Bhambhro further remarked that the court could instruct motorway police to stop traffic wherever roads are damaged and even hand over highways to the Sindh government for better management.
During the hearing, the NHA lawyer stated that land allocated for the M-9 motorway had been withdrawn by the Sindh government. Justice Saleem Jessar responded that the transfer was canceled because the federal government failed to make payments.
Justice Bhambhro also questioned officials about travel conditions on highways, asking whether it was possible to travel from Hala to Sukkur within a reasonable time.
Justice Jessar remarked that Sindh was often treated unfairly, adding that after a bridge collapse in Karachi led to a case being registered against the chairman, no similar incidents had occurred.
The NHA official informed the court that the Indus Highway would be fully restored by March. The court questioned who would be responsible for accidents until then.
Justice Jessar said the court would issue a detailed order on the matter. The hearing was adjourned until April 10.
