Adil Najam
This is a fairly old picture which I am sure you have seen in Pakistani newspapers or recieved via emails.
The picture shows a large truck carrying a bunch of other small trucks (interestingly the small trucks are very much like the large truck, a “Mini-Me” for those who get the reference). The large truck loaded with the small truck was stacked higher than the bridge-way it was passing under, and as a result the four vehicles at the top get their tops crushed. Of course, anyone who has driven on Pakistani roads is used to seeing over-loaded vehicles (here, here). But this image is different because it shows how the changing nature of our road infrastructure is forcing people to learn some elementary lessons the hard way.
My question, however, is very different. What do yo think happened AFTER the accident. I am really curious about what might have happened. It is obvious that there was a lot of damage? Someone had to end up paying for it one way or the other? Who do you think did?
Do you think the vehicles were insured? Did the driver get into trouble? Did the loaders end up paying for this? Or did the owners of the smaller vehicles being transported? Was the passage height marked on the bridge-way? If not, did CDA in Islamabad pay?
We see tragedies happening everyday, from accidents like this to suicide bombings. The loss of life is horrendous and overwhelms everything. As it should. But the economic and development costs are also huge. Property gets damaged, business loses value, people cannot work, economies go into a slump… and who pays for all of this. Who should?
Good question. Have never thought of this. I think the driver would run away because the poor fellow would be made to pay otherwise even if it were not his fault. The islamabad govt will rebuild the bridge, someone will get a big contract and they still won’t put the allowable height there. I think the owners of the vehicles will also end up paying because someone will make the silly Pakistani excuse “JEE ALLAH KI MARZI THI!”
Interesting that there are more comments on this on ATP @ Facebook than here at this site :-)
@Owais
Haha. The damage to the last mini-truck is more than the first one. Ever noticed? Seems like he was driving backwards…lol
I recall an incident during one of the elections early or mid nineties. A bus load of PPP supporters inside and on bus top was driven at 70 kph from under one of the underpass bridges on Lahore Canal road. Fate of people on bus top was similar to the mini trucks shown. I recall 15-20 people lost lives. The driver as ususal moqah se farar.
nothing. He kept on driving to the destination :)
there HAS to be damage to the flyover/underpass.
probably “driver moqay se faraar ho gaya” The speed of the large trailer must be so high that damage has spread to the last mini-me truck.