Karachi: A tragic accident at Jail Chowrangi Flyover in Karachi resulted in the death of a motorcyclist after being hit by a water tanker. Following the incident, enraged citizens set fire to five water tankers in protest.
According to reports, the fatal collision triggered chaos as angry protesters took to the streets, torching multiple tankers. Police and Rangers swiftly arrived at the scene, while fire brigade teams worked to extinguish the flames.
The owner of the affected tankers claimed that an unknown vehicle was responsible for the accident, but unidentified individuals targeted his vehicles instead. Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Recently, Karachi has witnessed a surge in fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles, particularly dumpers and water tankers. This alarming trend prompted Afaq Ahmed, Chairman of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, to warn authorities in a recent press conference. He had stated that if heavy traffic was not restricted during daytime hours, Karachi residents would take matters into their own hands.
His statement was followed by violent incidents in Landhi and Korangi, where three to four trucks were set ablaze. In response, the Dumper Owners Association’s leader, Liaquat Mehsud, condemned the arson attacks, emphasizing that valuable goods were destroyed. The association staged a protest by blocking the National Highway.
Authorities took swift action by arresting Afaq Ahmed shortly after his press conference.
The tensions escalated further when Farooq Sattar, a senior MQM-Pakistan leader, supported Afaq Ahmed’s stance. In a press briefing, he warned that public outrage in Karachi was reaching a boiling point. He likened the situation to the unrest of 1985, cautioning that if immediate measures were not taken, the city could face even worse turmoil.
Sattar revealed that over 100 Karachi residents have lost their lives due to reckless driving by dumpers and water tankers. He described the city’s condition as a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.
Amid rising public concern, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori wrote a second letter to the Acting Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, highlighting administrative negligence and lawlessness as the primary causes of these frequent accidents.
Following recent fatalities, Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi took notice and ordered strict action against speeding dumpers and unregistered drivers. Authorities were directed to conduct a thorough verification of all heavy vehicles and drivers operating in the city.
In a significant policy shift, the Sindh government has imposed a ban on heavy vehicle entry during daytime hours. Dumpers will now be permitted to enter Karachi only between 11 PM and 6 AM. Additionally, during a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary of Sindh, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board was instructed to shift its operations to nighttime within three months.
The issue of reckless driving by heavy vehicles has been worsening in Karachi.
On February 5, a garbage truck belonging to the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board caused a devastating crash on Rashid Minhas Road, killing three people.
In Korangi’s Ibrahim Hyderi area, a speeding dumper ran over a group of motorcyclists, resulting in the tragic death of three young men.
According to a recent report published on Human Online, more than 500 people were killed while nearly 5000 were injured due to road accidents in Karachi and more than 100 already died in 2025.
