Runaway dumper driver arrested after high-speed escape on Sharea faisal
The driver of a runaway dumper truck that evaded Karachi traffic police and endangered public safety on Sharea Faisal has surrendered and been arrested, police confirmed on Monday.
The incident, captured in a widely circulated video, showed a dumper ramming a police vehicle and fleeing the scene.
The footage sparked outrage online and prompted a citywide crackdown on dumpers and heavy transport vehicles.
According to police, the arrested driver claimed he was being chased by motorcyclists and feared his vehicle would be torched — a response to recent mob violence triggered by road accidents involving heavy vehicles.
Prior to the driver's arrest, Karachi Traffic Police seized 27 dumpers and issued fines to 142 drivers under sections 99/113 of the 1965 Motor Vehicles Ordinance.
The crackdown began after the Dumper Association failed to hand over the vehicle and driver involved.
The Dumper Association had initially agreed to cooperate but later backtracked, prompting authorities to escalate action.
The backdrop to the incident is a sharp rise in road fatalities in Karachi.
Over 250 deaths have been reported so far this year, with at least 70 involving dumpers, water tankers or trailers.
In response to public anger, the Sindh government has imposed a daytime ban on heavy vehicles in the city and introduced a 30 km/h speed limit for HTVs. However, enforcement challenges persist.
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Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Six held in dumpers' torching case
Police on Tuesday continued their crackdown for a second consecutive day against those involved in torching a dumper on Rashid Minhas Road after a deadly accident. Officials said six suspects have so far been arrested — four from Yousuf Plaza and two from the FB Industrial Area — while more than 20 others are already in custody for interrogation. Over 30 people have been detained during raids over the past two days, with around a dozen later released. Cases have been registered under charges of arson, damaging property, incitement to violence and sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act. A special investigation team, headed by the AIG police, is probing the matter. Police said CCTV footage of the incident has been secured and further evidence is being collected. SSP Investigation Anum Tajammul said arrests were being made strictly on the basis of evidence and no innocent person would be implicated. Meanwhile, Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah visited the residence of the accident-affected family to offer condolences and recite Fateha. Nasir Hussain also conveyed to the family that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Sindh Chief Minister had approved financial assistance for them. Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori visited the grieving family and expressed condolences with Muhammad Shakir over death of his son and daughter in the ghastly accident caused by an unlicensed dumper driver. During a media talk, Tessori s emphasised the need for legislation to address the issue. Tessori said, "Humanity is lost when brutality becomes rampant." He added that the dumper driver responsible for the accident did not have a license and was unaware of the lives he was destroying. Tessori called for accountability and urged the Dumper Association to take responsibility for their vehicles.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Express Tribune
Two young siblings killed in accident
Two young siblings were killed and their father was critically injured in a road accident on Rashid Minhas Road near Lucky One Mall around 4am on Sunday. The incident occurred when a speeding dumper rammed into a motorcycle, killing 22-year-old Mah Noor and her 14-year-old brother Ahmed Raza on the spot. Their father, Shakir, a clothes vendor and father of seven, sustained severe head injuries. According to the CCTV footage of the incident, the dumper driver struck the bike from the rear and drove his mammoth vehicle over the victims. Police said the dumper was heading from Gulshan Chowrangi towards Sohrab Goth and the victims were returning home from a family gathering in Malir Rifaa Aam Society. The incident sparked widespread outrage, with residents catching the dumper driver, Firdous Khan, and subjecting him to a severe beating before police intervention. The mob then began pelting passing dumpers with stones, forcing several drivers to flee. Protesters later set fire to seven dumpers, causing traffic chaos in the city. Law enforcement agencies, including police and Rangers, reached the site and brought the situation under control. Ten suspects involved in the arson were taken into custody, with further arrests to be made based on CCTV footage. The victims' uncle, Zakir, appealed to the government to take action against dumpers, warning that more families would suffer similar losses if measures were not taken. The incident has highlighted growing concerns over the unregulated movement of heavy vehicles in Karachi and the need for effective measures to prevent further loss of life. Dumper owners stage protest Dumper Association leader Liaquat Mehsud said he was earnestly aggrieved over the loss of lives, but torching dumpers without any investigation was totally uncalled far. Speaking to the Express News at the protest sit he said the accident was caused by a water tanker but dumpers were deliberately targeted. Mehsud said that Sindh government has banned the movement of dumpers in the city from morning till 10pm, "in current situation, the government should completely ban dumpers in the city." Protesters led by Mehsud blocked the Super Highway at Sohrab Goth and the National Highway near Thatta, erecting barricades and halting traffic. The blockade caused long queues of vehicles and severely disrupted intercity travel, leaving thousands of commuters stranded. Simmering tempers The funeral prayers for the brother and sister who lost their lives after being hit by a dumper truck in Federal B Area were offered at a mosque near their residence after Asr prayers. The prayers were attended by their injured father, relatives, neighbours, a large number of local residents, Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Ameer Munim Zafar, Sindh Assembly member Abdul Wasim, and other political and social leaders. The scene at the funeral was deeply emotional. The injured father, with visible wounds on his head and body, attended despite his critical condition. Speaking to the media, Munim Zafar said PPP had failed in every sector, noting that in the past seven months, 5,252 road accidents had occurred, with dumpers and trailers claiming numerous lives. Referring to arrests made after torching of seven dumpers, Zafar said 10 young men sitting at a roadside café were arrested without cause. He further said that Rashid Minhas Road remained blocked for hours without any police presence. While the grief of the bereaved family cannot be undone, he stressed, those responsible must be held accountable. Zafar further stated that the government's claim of installing cameras on dump trucks and trailers had also failed in practice. Sharjeel defuses tensions The talks between the Sindh government and the transporters were successful, after which the transporters decided to end their protest, said an official handout issued on Sunday. A delegation of transporters, led by Haji Yousaf and Jan Alam, leaders of the Dumper Association, called on Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon at the Commissioner House in Karachi. Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, Karachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho, and other officials were also present at the meeting. Memon expressed grief over the loss of lives in the recent accident but also condemned the violent incidents that followed. The minister directed dumper owners to ensure that cameras, trackers, insurance, and driver's licenses are mandatory in all dumpers. Additionally, a committee is being formed to assess the losses suffered by the transporters.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
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Transporters call off strike after successful talks
KARACHI: The talks between the Sindh government and the transporters went successful, after which the transporters decided to end their protest. A delegation of transporters, led by Haji Yousaf and Jan Alam, leaders of the Dumper Association, called on Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon at the Commissioner House in Karachi. Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, Karachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho, and other officials were also present. During the meeting, Memon expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of lives in a recent dumper accident and strongly condemned the violent incidents that followed. He said that the Sindh government will prioritise resolving the legitimate issues of the transporters; however, violence and vandalism are not the solution to any problem. He assured that steps will be taken, in coordination with all parties, to prevent such incidents in the future. He clarified that cases will be registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act against those who took the law into their own hands and incited riots. On this occasion, Memon directed dumper owners to ensure that cameras, trackers, insurance, and driver's licenses are mandatory in all dumpers. Additionally, a committee is being formed to assess the losses suffered by the transporters. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
