FAISALABAD, Jan 21: Franchised buses run by two influential families have so far killed over 200 people and injured countless in the past three years.

Interestingly, only 33 cases have been registered. Most of the bus victims were women and children.

The latest victim was Adnan Hafeez, son of a union council nazim, who was run over by a rashly-driven bus a couple of days ago.

In most of the cases, families of the victims and those injured did not lodge cases with police reportedly because of the influence of certain political figures.

The police, on the other hand, had advised those who approached them to forget about lodging cases because owners of certain buses had access to power corridors.

Police record showed that the buses had killed 33 people since 2003. The police had registered FIRs in all the incidents, submitted challans to courts after the arrest of drivers in most cases.

Newspaper reports, however, belied the police record.

A police officer requesting anonymity admitted that because of the influence of owners of two bus companies, they (police) could not register cases. He said the affected people had also showed their reluctance in pursuing cases against bus drivers.

The Punjab government in league with the Small and Medium Development Authority had initiated a project to run franchised buses in different districts to facilitate commuters.

In Faisalabad district, the influential transporters got contracts and monopolised the business.

The drivers of the franchised buses run the transport at will. They flout all traffic rules and regulations with impunity. If a police officer tries to perform his duty and challan them, he has to face the music.

Furious people had on a number of occasions broken windscreens of buses, beaten up drivers and conductors. But the authorities concerned have so far taken no remedial measures.

The commission element is stated to be one of major causes of accidents and rash driving. Drivers are given targets on a daily basis. They do their utmost to earn above the targets, which lead to accidents.

A citizen, Afzal, said the government had not taken into consideration the condition of roads and their capacity to cater to additional traffic load.

Two companies are operating in the district - Manthar Metro and Bashir Sons. MNA Asim Nazir’s family runs the former while the latter belongs to his relatives.

Nearly 220 franchised buses are being run in the city district.

Traffic police seem to have given a free hand to the bus drivers who violate all rules in their presence without any let or hindrance.

Sources said two traffic SPs - Mohammad Sohail and Ahmad Kamal - had to bear the wrath of their superiors, as they dared to bridle the rash bus drivers. They could serve in the district only for two months.

The sources said the MNA having contract of these buses had tendered his resignation before the ruling party bigwigs for the transfer of one SP.

When contacted, city district nazim Rana Zahid Touseef said the district government was going to impart training to bus drivers, and police constables were being deployed at various places. He said the government could not stop plying the buses as it would cause numerous problems for the people.