Motorway police suspend 11 buses for carrying passengers in baggage compartments ahead of Eid

RAWALPINDI: The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) have cracked down on passenger buses found transporting travellers in baggage compartments ahead of Eidul Fitr, suspending 11 buses from operating on the motorway for a period of seven days.

A spokesman for the motorway police said the buses were penalised for the hazardous practice of seating passengers in the baggage compartments located beneath the passenger deck, putting their lives at serious risk.

The action was taken against vehicles found endangering passengers by making them travel in the trunk sections of buses, the spokesman added.

Passengers evacuated at Islamabad toll plaza

During inspections carried out at the Islamabad Main Toll Plaza, passengers were safely removed from the baggage compartments of the buses. The motorway police spokesman described the act of making passengers travel in such dangerous conditions as a criminal offence.

The spokesman further stated that the motorway police are taking all possible steps to ensure safe and comfortable travel for citizens, particularly during the Eid rush when passenger traffic surges significantly.

Travel advisory issued for Eidul Fitr

Meanwhile, the NHMP has also issued a travel advisory for the Eidul Fitr holiday period, noting that traffic flow on motorways and national highways increases substantially during the festive season.

The practice of carrying passengers in baggage compartments is particularly common during peak travel periods such as Eid, when bus operators attempt to accommodate the massive spike in demand for intercity travel. The compartments, designed solely for storing luggage, lack ventilation, seating, safety features and emergency exits, making them extremely dangerous for human occupancy.

The seven-day suspension of the 11 buses is part of the NHMP's broader enforcement measures aimed at curbing violations that compromise passenger safety on motorways and highways during the busy Eid travel season.

The motorway police have been conducting heightened checks at toll plazas and key points along the motorway network to identify and penalise such violations, as millions of Pakistanis travel to their hometowns to celebrate the festival with their families.