THIS is with reference to the report “‘Point’ bus runs over, kills KU student on campus” (Oct 11). The unfortunate incident is the result of years of neglect, poor planning and zero accountability. The death is not an accident; it is the direct outcome of a system that has failed its students at every level.
Karachi University (KU) has long suffered from a broken and dangerous transport system. When I studied there, the situation was just as alarming. There were never enough buses, and those that did run were packed beyond capacity. Students stood crammed at the gates, clinging to one another for space and safety. It was clear even then that a fatal accident was more a matter of ‘when’ than ‘if’.
For a university hosting tens of thousands of students on the campus every day, proper transport should have been a top priority, but it has never been. Instead of safe and reliable buses, we see ageing vehicles, careless drivers, and chronic over-crowding. Students pay fee, and deserve at least the bare minimum of safety.
The current tragedy must serve as a wake-up call. The university administration and higher authorities must start treating student transport as a central policy element. Strict regulations, regular monitoring and investment in expanded and safer transport options are needed. This student’s life could have been saved. The fact should haunt every decision-maker who could have done something to improve the system, but chose not to.
Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2025.