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Following a recent spate of deadly accidents in Karachi and across Sindh involving heavy vehicles and passenger transport colliding with pedestrians and other road users, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the police and transport authorities in Karachi to carry out random drug testing of heavy vehicle drivers. While this is a welcome step that acknowledges the widespread problem of drug use among commercial drivers, it remains, at best, a short-term and surface-level solution. It fails to address the deeper, systemic issues plaguing road safety in the province.
More meaningful change will come from reforms that embed real accountability into the transport system. This includes mandating the installation of GPS trackers, dash cams, and underrun protection devices on all heavy transport, light transport, and public service vehicles. Such measures would not only remind drivers that they are being monitored but also provide crucial evidence in the event of accidents, helping to establish responsibility and improve enforcement.
365 profiteers held in Lodhran Equally important is the implementation of a rigorous vehicle inspection regime. All transport vehicles should be routinely checked to ensure their brakes, lights, horns, tyres, and other essential systems are functioning properly. Light transport vehicles, in particular, must be scrutinised for emergency accessibility—windows that can be opened or broken, doors that function reliably, and exits that are not obstructed.
These basic safety standards could prevent many injuries and fatalities in the event of a crash. Road safety activists have also rightly called for greater accountability from transport companies. Operators must be held responsible for negligent hiring practices and poor vehicle maintenance.
Only when these companies face serious consequences—including liability for compensation—will there be sufficient incentive to enforce discipline among drivers and invest in safer fleets. While the Sindh government’s recent actions mark a step in the right direction, they are far from sufficient. In 2024 alone, over 500 people have died and more than 5,000 have been injured in traffic-related incidents across the province.
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