A speeding dumper truck has claimed yet another life in Karachi, leaving three others injured, one of them critically.
According to Express News, the fast-moving dumper ran over pedestrians and a motorcyclist outside the Edhi Centre Tower, killing a young man and injuring three others, including an Edhi volunteer. One of the injured is said to be in a critical condition.
Following the incident, enraged bystanders pelted stones at the dumper, smashing its windows. Edhi volunteers later moved the deceased’s body to the Civil Hospital for legal formalities.
Rescue officials identified the deceased as 25-year-old Basit Ali. The injured were named as 55-year-old Shafiq, 28-year-old Junaid, and Edhi volunteer Roshan, all of whom are receiving medical treatment.
An Edhi Foundation spokesperson said three ambulances present at the scene also sustained partial damage in the crash. An investigation is underway.
Kharadar Station House Officer (SHO) Poon Kumar said the dumper driver responsible for the accident had been arrested. The crash occurred when the vehicle struck a motorcyclist and pedestrians standing outside the Edhi Centre, killing one passerby on the spot.
He added that police promptly reached the scene, brought the situation under control, and towed the dumper to the police station. Further information is being gathered from the site and from those injured who are being treated in the hospital.
Rising concern over heavy vehicles
Heavy vehicles have become increasingly notorious in Karachi, where accidents involving them have surged. A total of 165 people have lost their lives in such incidents so far this year.
Last month, after a water tanker collided with a motorcycle, killing two people, an angry mob set seven heavy vehicles ablaze. The incident prompted the Dumper Truck Association to shut down the Super Highway and block routes from Sohrab Goth to Thatta. Association leader Liaquat Mehsud said the protest was a response to the mob’s torching of dumper trucks.
Read: Rust in peace: Sindh cracks down on Karachi’s killer trucks
In September, the Sindh government introduced new regulations to address the growing number of accidents involving heavy vehicles, particularly in Karachi.
The reforms include mandatory GPS trackers and 360-degree cameras, alongside fines of up to Rs300,000. The measures are part of sweeping amendments to the province’s Motor Vehicle Rules, aimed at making roads safer, more transparent, and better policed.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said at a press briefing that all heavy commercial vehicles will now be required to obtain fitness certificates from centres established by the transport department. He added that, in cases of violation, heavy fines would be imposed on vehicle owners, and all payments would be deposited online into the Sindh government’s account.
“The amendments have been introduced to protect lives and property, reduce accidents, and make the traffic system more transparent through modern technology,” the minister said. He noted that one of the major causes of traffic accidents across the province, including Karachi, was old and poorly maintained heavy vehicles.
Under the new rules, no heavy vehicle will be allowed on the roads without a valid fitness certificate and safety equipment.
