The authorities’ negligence in Kaghan Valley regarding safety measures for drivers and the fitness of jeeps meant for mountainous roads has resulted in frequent accidents and injuries, especially during the summer.
Last week, two female students from Post Graduate College Haripur lost their lives when a jeep they were traveling in plunged into a ravine in Kiwai. The group was en route to visit Shogran.
Furthermore, multiple individuals, including three professors and three other female students, sustained injuries. The absence of a mechanism to assess the fitness of jeeps operating on tracks and to restrict inexperienced drivers from driving poses a major safety concern.
Many tourist destinations in the Kaghan Valley are accessible only by jeeps, making it necessary for travelers from distant areas to rely on them to visit places like Sri Pai, Lake Saiful Malook, Lala Zaar, Sharan, and others.
Tourists are demanding authorities to ban unfit vehicles and inexperienced drivers. Traffic Police Superintendent Shah Nawaz Khan clarified that while they don’t oversee vehicle fitness checks, they will support any actions taken by the relevant department and enforce rules against non-professional drivers.
