KARACHI: Several miscreants on Saturday pelted stones at the newly-inaugurated Green Line bus service in Karachi at multiple points between Surjani and Numaish, raising serious questions on the security of the multi-billion project.
This was highlighted in a complaint filed with the police by a security manager at the Green Line bus service against unidentified assailants. Side glasses and window panes of the buses were damaged in the stone-pelting incidents.
“The stones were pelted from the pedestrian bridge and damaged the infrastructure of buses,” sources claimed adding that however no passenger was hurt in the incidents.
Federal IT Minister Aminul Haq, in a statement, has expressed concerns over the reports of stone-pelting and has held the ‘transport mafia’ responsible for the attacks.
Aminul Haq said that the transport mafia was not ready to accept a modern transportation system in the city. He said it was the responsibility of the Sindh government to provide security for the Green Line buses.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Central District has asserted that the stones were thrown by children from the slums straddling the Green Line track. The SSP has ordered the local SHO to trace the children who threw stones.
According to a statement released by Sindh Police, Karachi Additional Inspector General Imran Yaqub Minhas has instructed police officials to increase patrolling along the Green Line track.
The incidents have raised serious questions on the security being provided to the project which is claimed to be guarded with 900 CCTV cameras and 250 security personnel.
Karachi’s Green Line was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on December 10. It started commercial operations on December 25 and became fully operational on January 10. There are 80 buses that run on the tracks from 7am to 10pm, according to officials.
