Being fortunate, I wasn't an eye witness to today's horrible incident, but those who had seen it were jolted from head to toe. A teenage intellectual of Institute of Communication Studies, University of the Punjab, got crushed under the tyres of the very bus that she was a few moments ago travelling on...alarmed right?!
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When I heard this, during my Statistics class, I was at a loss and tears rolled down as I jotted on my notebook. The students of M.Phil. Sociology had brought this news and requested us to join in for a peaceful protest against the negligence of the driver, the University Administration, the V.C and the Punjab Government. We held a small protest, raising slogans for "Justice" and "More buses". Our co-ordinator tried to hold us back from getting indulged in such an activity, but on listening to our motive, she joined us too.
When we reached the V.C. house, we were given numerous justifications for the poor arrangements, like these: We already have 56 buses for above 32,000 students; we are providing you with the transport as a "Facility" which is not our administrative obligation, we are aware of your issues but believe us, we've suffered through the same when we were your age, in the same university in 1999; we lack funds to buy more buses; you should have sent us an e-mail pertaining to the complaint and we would have certainly done something about it! They even said that it was the conductor's fault that he had not closed the door of the bus..
Media covered the protest rally and also interviewed the eye-witnesses and some of the protesters. In the end, the V.C. of the University promised to arrange some more buses for the routes where a large number of students take university buses. He also said that arrangements are being made to "educate" the drivers so that they may not show such negligence again. A ray of light he showed...
Here comes a but...
I have many questions hovering in my mind.. and they can not be answered...I know.
Yes this actually happened... In the Model Town area of Lahore, where normally, several students gather to get on the University Bus to reach the Campus.
On the morning of 20th of November, 2013, the overcrowded bus ran down the road towards the University, when some shrieks were heard and the driver pulled over. Amidst the loudly blowing horns and traffic noise, "You killed her!! You ran her over!!" were the words that struck the driver's ears. Realizing what he had just done, the driver fled away. The girl who was clinging solely to a metal rod near the open door of the bus, somehow lost grip and fell OUT on the road. Tragedy didn't end here, and Alisha Khalid was run over by the tyres of the same bus right away..a life was lost..and this happened in front of her mother's eyes...................................................
On the morning of 20th of November, 2013, the overcrowded bus ran down the road towards the University, when some shrieks were heard and the driver pulled over. Amidst the loudly blowing horns and traffic noise, "You killed her!! You ran her over!!" were the words that struck the driver's ears. Realizing what he had just done, the driver fled away. The girl who was clinging solely to a metal rod near the open door of the bus, somehow lost grip and fell OUT on the road. Tragedy didn't end here, and Alisha Khalid was run over by the tyres of the same bus right away..a life was lost..and this happened in front of her mother's eyes...................................................
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When I heard this, during my Statistics class, I was at a loss and tears rolled down as I jotted on my notebook. The students of M.Phil. Sociology had brought this news and requested us to join in for a peaceful protest against the negligence of the driver, the University Administration, the V.C and the Punjab Government. We held a small protest, raising slogans for "Justice" and "More buses". Our co-ordinator tried to hold us back from getting indulged in such an activity, but on listening to our motive, she joined us too.
When we reached the V.C. house, we were given numerous justifications for the poor arrangements, like these: We already have 56 buses for above 32,000 students; we are providing you with the transport as a "Facility" which is not our administrative obligation, we are aware of your issues but believe us, we've suffered through the same when we were your age, in the same university in 1999; we lack funds to buy more buses; you should have sent us an e-mail pertaining to the complaint and we would have certainly done something about it! They even said that it was the conductor's fault that he had not closed the door of the bus..
Media covered the protest rally and also interviewed the eye-witnesses and some of the protesters. In the end, the V.C. of the University promised to arrange some more buses for the routes where a large number of students take university buses. He also said that arrangements are being made to "educate" the drivers so that they may not show such negligence again. A ray of light he showed...
Here comes a but...
I have many questions hovering in my mind.. and they can not be answered...I know.
- Are 56 buses enough for above 32,000 students??
- Why are there NO LAWS for over-crowding a bus; and even if they are.. where is the implementation??
- How can the bus doors be closed when three or four of the students are swinging out of it, with the grip of a handle or a bar??
- When we are paying charges, how can the administration call the bus services as a "facility" and not consider it their obligation??
- If "you" have faced the same issue in 1999, does that mean you have been so negligent of it that you didn't bother to solve it even after 14 years; when "you" have reached the policy making posts??
- Why is there no check as to whether the travellers are Punjab University students or just any passengers looking for a random bus going their way??
- How can you lack funds when the government launches funds every year and the students (even those who do not use the bus service) pay the bus charges??
- We should have sent an e-mail, well, what about all the hand-written applications that we sent "you"? Did they never reach you?? Whose fault is it then??
- Does education change the mind set of the rash and hyper-aggressive bus drivers, who are always in a hurry and never want to stop for more than 15 seconds for the students to get off the bus??
- University bus incidents occur quite frequently, yet no notice is taken. Students fell off from the bus, or missed the bus due to insufficient space for a person to even stand in the bus, but no one seems to be bothered about it! SO LAST AND MOST PINCHING QUESTION: Why do the authorities always have to take an action after a BIG INCIDENT has occurred?? Why do they keep waiting for a death, followed by a protest or mob riots?? Why???
I'd request the authorities once again not to take this issue lightly, and take some emergency alternative measures; it is the matter of every student's life now, which I hope still bears some value in this country...
We're sorry Alisha Khalid...we don't know who should we blame..May your soul rest in peace..ameen.
We're sorry Alisha Khalid...we don't know who should we blame..May your soul rest in peace..ameen.
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| Alisha Khalid, died on 20th November, 2013, by falling off the university bus and being run over by it (Photo courtesy: Samaa TV) https://www.facebook.com/roxnynamra |
