PM for greater efforts to ensure, promote maximum road safety practices

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday appreciating the performance of National Highways and Motorways Police emphasized upon greater efforts to ensure and promote maximum road safety practices.

The prime minister while chairing a briefing on National Highways and Motorways Police (NH&MP) at the PM Office said that efforts must continue to acquire latest technology and making the organization more professional and a dedicated force.

Minister of State for Communications Junaid Anwaar Chaudhry and senior government officials were also present during the meeting.

Inspector General NH&MP Dr Syed Kaleem Imam briefed the prime minister on the overall working and performance of the department. It was informed that NH&MP, since its creation, had earned recognition at national as well as international level for its effectiveness and being a corruption free department. The federal government nominated NH&MP as the best organization for UN Public Service Award in 2009.

Briefing the meeting on the performance of the Motorway Police, it was informed that management of traffic volume of 0.65 million vehicles per day on national highways and motorways, reduction in accidents by 44%, deaths by 21%, injuries by 25% and efficient response through Emergency Helpline 130 were some of the significant achievements of NH&MP from 2016 to 2017.

Moreover, in 2017 alone, the NH&MP succeeded in arresting 99 criminals, re-union of 57 lost/runway children with families, recovery of six kidnapped persons and recovery of 64 stolen/snatched vehicles.

The meeting was briefed that on the technological front, NH&MP had introduced paperless E-ticketing System throughout the country thereby saving Rs 26.5 million per annum and creating an integrated database of traffic violations which would lead to Point Based Violation System.

Future expansion of road network under the CPEC project and the requirements of additional manpower in lieu of the extended road network also came under discussion.