What Do You Think Happened Next?

Posted on April 7, 2009
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Economy & Development, Photo of the Day, Society
27 Comments
Total Views: 42119

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?

27 responses to “What Do You Think Happened Next?”

  1. Sikander Hayat says:

    We are not living in normal times so nothing which can be considered normal by international standards is happening in Pakistan. But we shall eventually get out of this mess stronger and better prepared for future. Already we as a nation have achieved two solid victories in last 10 years. First a free, powerful & influential media and second a free Supreme court. I am the first one to admit that parts of both these successes can be eroded quite quickly but it is now impossible for any government military or otherwise to completed roll back these two achievements.
    What this picture hints at is mismanagement at many levels but this picture is not the whole story of Pakistan. The full story also has Abdul Sataar Eidhi in it, it has Doctor Abdul Salaam ( a Physics Nobel Laureate) , it has Dr Mahboob Ul Haq ( an Economics Noble Laureate) , it has people who can earn 23 A

  2. shahran says:

    I have seen similar incidents in New York a number of times in the daily traffic news.

    where there are some freeways where they warn you that any oversized trucks are not allowed but still there were always some guys who come from other states and then they get hit by similar underpasses. Those trucks were smaller and most of the time, these oversized trucks get identified long before they hit the bridge and then fined heavily.

  3. bonobashi says:

    @Eidee Man

    Oh, that should make the carrier very safe, considering the huge shiploads of money AIG’s getting. Even after subtracting executive bonuses….

    I wish I’d been working for them for even a year of these humongous bonuses!

  4. adeel says:

    it is possible that “already damaged” trucks were being carried to some junk-yard, and the picture is not what it looks like. may be the bridge didnot damage them. :P

  5. Sameer says:

    AIG don’t insure in Pakistan and specially this kind of trailer. U.S. govt. has 80% stake so they protect the company.

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