Scores of civilians in several areas of Balochistan took to the roads on Sunday to commemorate the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Accidents and to remember all those who lost their lives in horrific accidents on the “killer highways” of Balochistan. The protestors demanded the dualisation of the highways and the providence of emergency facilities like trauma centres.
According to the details, Balochistan Youth and Civil Society (BYCS) held protest rallies in Quetta, Khuzdar, Windar, Panjgoor and Kalat, commemorate the day.
In Quetta, the protestors walked from the University of Balochistan to Quetta Press Club to remember the victims of uncountable traffic accidents in Balochistan.
Nimra Pirkani, CEO of YOURS (Youth Organization To Uplift And Reform Society), Chairman BYCS Najeeb Yousaf Zehri, Dr Manzoor Baloch, Muneer Jalib of Baloch Students Organization and several others addressed the rally.
The speakers demanded the authorities to dualise the Quetta to Karachi Highway and to construct trauma centres for emergencies on the roads. They said that more than 5000 accidents have occurred to the “killer highways” of Balochistan in the ongoing year that have taken above 700 lives and left 8000 people wounded.
The speakers said that they had launched a long march in March this year from Karachi to Quetta but had had to cancel it out after reaching Wadh due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They said that they were contacted and assured by the National Highway Authority that their demands will be met, but so far, they have failed to deliver any of their promises yet.
The protestors also warned that if their demands are not met, they will once again march from Wadh to Quetta and from Quetta to Chaman.
The speakers said that the hundreds of enlightened and educated persons have lost their lives in several unfortunate road accidents. Commissioner Makran Division Tariq Zehri, Amanullah Tareen, Dr Yaseen Baloch, Dr Atta Neechari and Prof. Jan Pirkani are but a few of the victims of road accidents.
They said they had invited prominent politicians and social leaders to participate in the rally and support their cause, but none of the invitees took the grim situation seriously and, therefore, didn’t show up at the protest.
The protestors also held a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of road accidents in Balochistan.
The highways in Balochistan have earned the appellation “killer highways”, and not undeservingly. Thousands of horrendous road accidents have taken uncountable precious lives in the past couple of years, and the figure only seems to rise annually. According to the figures released by the BYCS Chairman Najeeb Zehri, 949 accidents occurred in several areas of Balochistan in June this year that killed 109 and wounded roughly 1400 people, not to count the numerous unreported accidents.