ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: Punjab government cancelled roadworthiness certificates of 4,826 substandard buses after a stringent vehicle inspection drive launched in the wake of an accident that claimed the lives of 35 schoolchildren in Kallar Kahar last year, according to its prosecutor general. The faulty vehicles have been taken off the road.

The provincial government launched the inspection campaign under the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1960 on the order of Supreme Court that had taken suo motu notice of the Sept 27 accident, in which a bus carrying 105 schoolchildren, three teachers, headmaster and a servant skidded off the Motorway and fell into a ditch, killing 38 people. The 35 children who died belonged to Millat Grammar School, Faisalabad.

On Dec 13, the court ordered that all buses plying on inter-city routes in the province be inspected thoroughly before renewal of their fitness certificates and route permits.

On Thursday, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was informed by Punjab Prosecutor General Ashtar Ausaf Ali Khan that 4,826 fitness certificates were cancelled after the inspection campaign.

He said the campaign would continue and the certificate of any vehicle deemed unfit for the road would be cancelled.

The director-general of Anti-Corruption Establishment, M. Abid Javed, submitted a report on the cases registered against vehicle examiners who were prima facie found involved in issuing fitness certificates to vehicles which were not roadworthy.

He also informed the court that the owner of the vehicle which met the accident in Kallar Kahar was arrested after criminal action had been initiated against him.

The court, however, did not appear to be satisfied with the report and asked if only a few officials could be held responsible for issuing fitness certificates to more than 4,500 faulty and unfit vehicles.

“I don’t know what is happening. People are dying on the roads but nobody is moved,” Chief Justice Chaudhry remarked.
Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq told the court that services of three officials of Motorways Police — Amir Nawaz (SPO), Zahid Maqbool (PO) and Mustajab Hussain (photographer) — were terminated while disciplinary proceedings were underway against DSP/CPO Fazal Mehmood Haideri.

The Punjab prosecutor general said that in addition to Rs200,000 already paid to the parents/guardians of each deceased child, Rs500,000 had been paid to them as compensation. He said the cheques to this effect had already been issued.

However, some parents submitted to the court that cheques for Rs500,000 given to them could not be encashed because of non-availability of funds. The prosecutor general assured the court that he would get the matter sorted out within three days.

The court then proceeded to wrap up the case, saying no further action was required in it.