Contextualizing road safety issues in Pakistan; A case study of Islamabad
By: Moeed Ahmed Malik
A Research Proficiency Paper presented to Bahria University Islamabad in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Degree of Bachelors in Social Sciences
June 2019
Supervised by
Shaheer Ellahi Khan
Acknowledgements
First of all, I am thankful to my supervisor Mr. Shaheer Ellahi Khan for his continuous encouragement, genuine interest and involvement in my work. It was an immensely insightful and enlightening experience working under his mentorship.
Secondly, I am grateful to Mr. Farrukh Rashid, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). Who is the officer in charge of the Islamabad Traffic Police, for approving my application on such short notice and allowing to me conduct research in the organization.
Last, but surely not the least, I am grateful to my parents for their support, who kept motivating me to do this research.
In the end, I want to thank Allah, because I believe that this study would not have been possible without his will.
Abstract
This study was an attempt to explore the major road safety issues of Pakistan, by conducting an exploratory case study of Islamabad. The main road safety issues unearthed were institutional, executional, physical & operational, attitudinal & behavioral in nature and were also related to the deficiency of accident research & data Bank issues. Furthermore, some illustrative case studies were also included to document the traffic management system of Islamabad and the road safety issues specific to the city. The range and nature of services provided by the respective traffic policing departments, favorable to road safety, were also recognized. Moreover, certain important policy recommendations have been made, which may serve to rectify the pertinent road safety issues that were discovered, if these policy prescriptions were to be made a part of public policy.
Table of Contents
Title Page Acknowledgments Abstract
1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
2. Problem statement…………………………………………………………………………………………………4 3. Objectives ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………...5 4. Literature Review …………………………………………………………………………….. ………………….6 a) Policy formulation and implementation issues………………………………………………………..6 b) Impact of motorization and urbanization………………………………………………………………..8 c) Socio-cultural and behavioral problems……………………………………………………………….…10 5. Rationale ……………………………………………………………………... ………………………………………..13
6. Research methodology ……………………………………………………… ………………...... 15 6.1 Study locale…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 6.2 Nature of the study……………………………………………………………………………………………………..16 6.3 Sampling technique…………………………………………………………………………………………………….16 6.4 Sample size………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16 6.5 Tools……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………17 a) Key informant ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….17 b) Rapport Building……………………………………………………………………………………………………17 c) Data collection technique………………………………………………………………………………………17 d) Data analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17 7 Profile of Islamabad; overview of its architecture, road network and system of traffic
management……………………………………………………………………………………...... 19
8 Findings ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….18
a) Road safety issues ………………………………………………………………………………22 1. Institutional Issues…………………………………………………………………………………………….22 1.1 Low valuation of road safety…………………………………………………………………………22 1.2 Institutional Weaknesses………………………………………………………………………………24 2. Execution issues………………………………………………………………………………………………..25 2.1 Lack of resources………………………………………………………………………………………….26 2.2 Lack of timely implementation…………………………………………………………………….28 3.Physical and Operational issues…………………………………………………………………………28 3.1 Increasing motorization and urbanization……………………………………………….....28 3.2 Traffic mix on roads………………………………………………………………………………..…..31 3.3 Non-standardized driving practices……………………………………………………….…….32 3.4 Poor public transportation system………………………………………………………………34 3.5 The problem of encroachments on the roads………………………………………….....35 3.6 Out-dated traffic management, poor system of licensing and penalties………………………………………………………36 3.7 Social Injustice on the roads……………………………………………………………………….37 3.8 Poor roads, vehicular maintenance and safety standards…………………………..38 4. Attitudinal and Behavioral issues…………………………………………………………………….41 4.1 Characteristics of unsafe drivers and their attitudinal and behavioral problems…………………………………….…………….41 4.2 Lack of education and awareness related to road safety……………………………..43 4.3 Low compliance with traffic rules and regulations…………………………………...... 44 4.4 Socio-economic deprivations among the masses…………………………………………45 4.5 Issues of security……………………………………………………………………………………….46 4.6 Cultural disposition……………………………………………………………………………………46 4.7 Lack of other resources and facilitation of the public……………………………..….47 5. Road safety research and accident data bank issues………………………………….….48 b) Illustrative case studies about
Islamabad………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..50 1. The National Highways and Motorway police as a model police force………………………………………………………………………………….50 2. The Islamabad Expressway and its unfortunate predicament………………………..52 3. The orphaned IJP road……………………………………………………………………………...... 53 4. The peculiar case of the N-5………………………………………………………………….………54 5. The need for a ring road……………………………………………………………………………….55 6. The need to resurrect the Margalla Avenue project……………………………………..55 7. The safe city project; the use of technology as a means of modern law enforcement…………….…….56 8. The metro bus; a utilitarian project or not?...... 56 9. The Islamabad Traffic police as another exemplary traffic policing department………………………………...... 58 10. The unsung heroes of the nation, Inspector Mukhtar Ahmed as a case in point……………………………………………..60 9. Discussion…………………………………………………………………………………………..………62 9.1 Significance of the findings in light of the relevant literature……...………………...63 9.2 The need for legislative reforms and other policy considerations………………….66 9.3 Possible explanations for the divergence in the views of the respondents of the ITP and the NH&MP………………………………………..……70 9.4 Possible imitations of the study………………………………………………………………..……72
10. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………..…….74
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………….……………..………..76
Annexure……………………………………………………………………………………………………80