The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), Motorway North Zone, has suspended Faisal Movers’ operations for 30 days following a tragic accident that occurred on December 30, 2024. This suspension comes as part of NHMP’s stringent enforcement of safety regulations aimed at protecting the lives of passengers and road users.
The incident not only resulted in the loss of 11 lives and injuries to 14 others but also raised serious concerns about the safety protocols and operational standards followed by the company.
Details of the Tragic Accident
On the fateful day of December 30, 2024, a Faisal Movers bus traveling from Bahawalpur to Islamabad met with a catastrophic accident on the CPEC M-14 Motorway. The bus overturned due to what was initially claimed as a tire burst by the company.
However, subsequent investigations revealed a more complex and concerning narrative. The accident claimed 11 innocent lives and left 14 passengers severely injured, causing immense grief to families and communities across the country.
Eyewitness accounts and first responders described a harrowing scene—wreckage scattered along the motorway, injured passengers crying out for help, and emergency teams working tirelessly to rescue those trapped inside the mangled vehicle.
The NHMP, upon receiving the distress call, promptly arrived at the scene, initiating rescue operations and managing traffic to prevent further incidents.
The immediate response from authorities involved not just rescue efforts but also the initiation of a detailed investigation to determine the causes and responsibilities associated with the accident. This tragic event highlighted the vulnerabilities in road safety management and the critical need for strict adherence to safety regulations by transport companies.
Key Factors Leading to the Accident
The NHMP’s investigation uncovered several critical factors that contributed to the tragic accident, painting a picture of negligence and regulatory non-compliance on the part of Faisal Movers.
1. Driver Fatigue: A Critical Oversight
Driver fatigue emerged as one of the most significant contributors to the accident. The bus was being operated by a single driver who had been driving continuously for over five hours, in direct violation of NHMP regulations that mandate driver rotation to prevent fatigue-related incidents.
Exhaustion impairs reaction times, decision-making abilities, and overall alertness, which can be deadly on high-speed motorways.
2. Unauthorized Route Violations
The bus was found to be operating on an unauthorized route. While its permit allowed travel from Kot Mithan (Rajanpur) to Rawalpindi, the bus was illegally navigating the CPEC M-14 Motorway.
This breach of operational protocols not only violated legal requirements but also meant that the NHMP was not adequately prepared to monitor the bus along this unauthorized route, increasing the risk of undetected violations.
3. Speeding Beyond Legal Limits
Speeding was another critical factor identified. Tracker data reviewed after the accident revealed that the bus was traveling at a speed of 112 km/h, significantly exceeding the legal speed limit for such vehicles on the motorway.
High-speed driving reduces the margin for error and increases the severity of accidents when they occur.
These factors combined created a perfect storm of negligence and regulatory breaches that ultimately led to the tragic loss of lives.
NHMP's Investigation Findings
The NHMP conducted a thorough investigation into the accident, uncovering multiple violations of safety regulations and operational protocols.
1. Safety Protocol Breaches Identified
The investigation revealed that Faisal Movers had failed to adhere to several critical safety protocols. These included not only the unauthorized route and speeding issues but also the failure to maintain accessible tracker data for monitoring by the NHMP. This lack of compliance with mandatory safety checks significantly hindered the ability of authorities to ensure passenger safety.
2. The Role of Inaccessible Tracker Data
One of the most alarming findings was the inaccessibility of the bus’s tracker data to the NHMP. Real-time tracking is a vital tool for monitoring vehicle speed, route compliance, and driver behavior. By not providing NHMP with access to this data, Faisal Movers breached mandated safety protocols designed to prevent exactly the kind of tragedy that occurred.
3. Evidence Contradicting the Tire Burst Claim
Faisal Movers initially claimed that the accident was caused by a tire burst. However, forensic evidence and data analysis contradicted this claim. The evidence pointed towards driver fatigue, unauthorized routing, and speeding as the primary causes of the accident, dismissing the tire burst explanation as an attempt to deflect responsibility.
Faisal Movers’ Operational Violations
The NHMP’s investigation highlighted a pattern of operational violations by Faisal Movers that extended beyond the immediate causes of the accident.
1. Single Driver Policy Violation
Assigning only one driver for a long-distance route was a direct violation of NHMP regulations. These rules are in place to ensure that drivers receive adequate rest, reducing the risk of fatigue-related accidents.
2. Non-Compliance with Permitted Routes
Operating on unauthorized routes without informing the NHMP not only violates legal requirements but also compromises passenger safety. Authorized routes are monitored more rigorously, and deviations can expose buses to unmonitored risks.
3. Historical Safety Record of Faisal Movers
While this accident was particularly severe, it raised questions about Faisal Movers’ overall safety record. Reports suggest that the company has faced previous allegations of regulatory non-compliance, though not all were as catastrophic in their outcomes.
