ISLAMABAD, Jun 10 (APP): Minister for Communications Murad Saeed Thursday apprised the National Assembly that road accidents had witnessed 21 per cent decrease during the current year owing to devise and implement the ‘Road Safety Policy’ in the country.
Responding to a calling attention notice, raised by Muhammad Asim Nazir and others regarding suspension of public transport buses on Motorway, he said there was no Road Safety Policy till 2018.
He said the incumbent government not only devised country’s first Road Safety Policy but also implemented it in letter and spirit. The policy aimed at ensuing safe traveling and control road accidents, he added.
The minister said transport ministry had been devolved to the provinces after the passage of 18th constitutional amendment.
He said earlier, there was no data mechanism of road accidents in the country. Now, under the policy, all institutions concerned were bound to share data, he said.
Murad said action was also being taken against those transport companies which were violating the acts and standard operating procedures.
He conceded that there was ‘Act of Parliament’ regarding road safety but it was not being implemented. The incumbent government ensured the implementation of the Act to control road accidents in the country, he added.
He said road safety policy was also made part of the syllabus. Briefings were being held for the youth to create awareness about the road safety policy, he added.
He said the government was making all out efforts to further reduce the road accident ratio in the country.