LAHORE - The Lahore High Court Friday directed City Traffic Officers (CTOs) and other relevant high-ups of all 36 districts to come up with compliance report regarding use of helmet while riding bikes.
Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi passed the order on petition moved by Advocate Azhar Siddique seeking strict implementation of the court order on helmet wearing in all districts of Punjab.
The lawyer argued that the number of road accidents was declined after the clear direction to the citizens to implement traffic rules. He submitted that the traffic flow was witnessed in routine on roads after the citizens started implementing rules.
He prayed the court that the implementation on traffic rules and restriction of wearing helmets is required with letter in sprit to avoid accidents.
The judge remarked the implementation on traffic rules be ensured adding the cases of head injuries have been decreased to seventy (70) percent. Justice Qureshi also sought report from secretary health over the ratio of accidents after the use of helmets. The proceedings were adjourned by next week.
The lawyer contended that a report by World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that in Pakistan 25.3 deaths per 100,000 occur due to road accidents, which was much higher than international ranking. He said as per WHO fact sheet of 2011 more than 90 per cent world mortalities on roads occur in low and middle income countries.
The lawyer asked the court to order the police to implement all traffic laws including wearing of helmets by the motorcyclists in the province. He also said the government should also be directed to fix prices of helmets so that the profiteers could not extort money from the public.
He had pleaded that the Pemra should also be directed to launch an awareness campaign on mainstream and social media about traffic laws among the citizens. In another matter related to destruction of homes in Bagh Gull Begum area, the LHC Friday stayed the destruction till Nov 09.
The residents of the houses through their lawyers pleaded the court that all the aggrieved wanted to challenge before the Supreme Court verdict of the high court wherein destruction of the houses was ordered to the district government. They apprehended that their houses would be demolished. The petitioner asked the court to restrain the city district government from demolishing their houses. After hearing their arguments, Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi barred them from destructing homes in Bagh Gull Begum area. The hearing adjourned till Nov 09.