Federal Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil on Wednesday said that goods transporters and bus stand owners should also play their role in the safety and security of the national highways because overloading is not only illegal but also harmful to the national highways. He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of All NWFP Transporters and Bus Stand Owners in the Committee Room of the Ministry of Communications in an exclusive meeting.
Those who met with the minister included the President All Sarhad Goods Transport Union Haji Liaqat Ali, President Awami Union Goods Transport Khyber Khan Hoti, President Karachi Transport Association Tahir Shah Bacha, and Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of All Pakistan Goods Transport Haji Zakir Hayat Khan and President Peshawar Goods Transport Association Haji Ashraf Khan.
On this occasion, Federal Secretary Communications Sharif Ahmad Khan and other high officials of NHA and the Ministry of Communications were also present. The Federal Minister, while talking to the delegation, said that they have introduced a modern culture of friendly behaviour on the Motorways by the Motorway Police. He said that they want to instil such a spirit in those who travel on the Motorways and ply heavy vehicles that our highways could be made safer.
The minister said that over loaded vehicles plying on the Motorways not only damage it Motorways but is also harmful to these vehicles as they become dysfunctional prematurely. Therefore, such vehicle owners should refrain from such practice. He assured the representatives of goods transport associations that measures are being taken to improve the system of weigh stations on the Motorways and highways.
While issuing immediate instructions to the NHA officials, the minister ordered to restore the Consultative Council of the stakeholder. He said that representatives from all the provinces should be included in the said council and its session should be held every month and its recommendations should be sought on the issues of improvement in the weigh stations system and other matters related to the highways.
The goods transporters assured the Federal Minister of their full support and said that the weigh stations system on important highways should be reformed and the vehicle guilty of overloading should not only be fined but they should also be off loaded and barred from moving on.
Dr Alamgir and the Federal Secretary Communication assured that they will try to improve the weigh stations system by handing over some important weigh stations to the Motorway Police on experimental basis. The goods transporters on this occasion, forwarded the proposal that a national conference of all the stakeholder should be convened to look for joint efforts for the solution of their problems.