ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to take action against the increasing incidents of cutting and demolition of steel fences along highways and directed the authorities concerned to start a pilot motorcycle service to ensure security and surveillance improve highways.
Chairing a meeting, the minister said in the first phase, the highway police have been directed to utilize existing resources to boost the service and are planning to expand in the future.
He directed the highway police to deploy 30 to 35 motorcycles for patrols in the initial phase to improve response times and increase security measures in various sectors.
Mr. Khan stressed the need for joint efforts and urged the National Highway Authority, Highway Police, Frontier Works Organization and District Police to work together to ensure the success of the initiative.
“The highway police must take the utmost responsibility for the safety of citizens while developing a robust mechanism to make motorway driving as safe as possible,” he said.
When contacted, a senior NHA official said dusk that the Minister had taken measures to ensure highway safety after increasing complaints of crime and car theft due to the cutting and uprooting of the fence on the highways.
He said the minister was informed that there was an increase in the number of highway fence cuttings during the smog season in Punjab and other parts of the country.
The official said a separate project has also been launched to repair fences across the country. “The project was started a few weeks ago and almost 70 percent of the work has been completed,” he claimed.
Published in Dawn, January 10, 2025