NHA to set up Emergency Response Centre; NA told

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Communication and Postal Services Murad Saeed on Thursday informed the National Assembly that National Highway Authority (NHA) was planning to establish Emergency Response Centre for emergency relief to accident victims and needy locals.

Replying to questions in the house during question hour, the minister said the Emergency Response Centre would be established in a phased programme for provision of first aid medical services to accident victims.

In order to determine the magnitude of accidents on Motorways and Highways and identify reasons behind increasing trend of accidents, he said that National Transport Research Centre (NTRC) was working on a project “Accident Data & Cost Study”.

He said the collection of five years (201317) accident data across the country from police and health departments had been collected. After completion of the study the center would be able to assess the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents in the country.

Murad Saeed said the study would be completed by June, 2022.

The minister said the ministry had taken several steps to control accidents including patrolling, speed checking, road safety briefing, awareness and sansitization walk, seminar, workshops, lectures, presentations and distribution of printed road safety material in shape of brochures , booklets, pamphlets etc.

He said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were seeking National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) but Prime Minister Imran Khan would not give them NRO.

The minister said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced to get rid of the criminals and corruption.

The minister said that both the parties had announced to resign from Parliament but now were only giving dates, adding that they were only seeking NRO to save their corruption.