Three young boys in the vehicle and two pedestrians lose their lives in early-morning crash on Harbanspura Road; CTO Lahore seeks report from SSP City Zone

LAHORE: Five people were killed on Saturday morning when a speeding car went out of control and slammed into pedestrians walking along the footpath near the Taj Bagh U-turn on Harbanspura Road, in one of the deadliest road accidents reported in the city in recent days.

According to details, the vehicle was travelling at high speed when the driver lost control of it near the U-turn. The car veered off the carriageway and mounted the footpath, striking people who were walking there at the time. The impact was severe enough to kill three young boys travelling in the car on the spot along with two pedestrians, bringing the total death toll to five.

The deceased have been identified as 15-year-old Muzammil, 18-year-old Nauman, 20-year-old Abdul Rehman, 17-year-old Furqan and 19-year-old Junaid. All five victims were young men, four of them teenagers, a detail that has added to the grief in the surrounding neighbourhoods where the news spread quickly through the morning.

Rescue 1122 teams, traffic police and local police reached the site soon after being informed of the accident. Emergency responders worked to clear the scene, and the damaged vehicle and the bodies of the victims were removed from the road so that traffic flow on the busy stretch could be restored. The bodies were shifted for legal formalities, while police began collecting evidence from the site to establish the sequence of events that led to the crash.

Speaking to the media at the scene, SP City Traffic Maqsood Loan gave a detailed account of the accident and the response of the traffic police. He said that the initial assessment pointed towards excessive speed and loss of vehicle control as central factors in the tragedy.

The SP City Traffic used the occasion to make a direct appeal to the public, urging motorists to respect posted speed limits and to avoid dangerous and negligent driving on city roads. He stressed that over-speeding and reckless driving do not endanger the driver alone but also put the lives of other citizens — including pedestrians who have no protection whatsoever — at serious risk. Safe driving means a safe journey, he said, adding that a single moment of caution behind the wheel can save someone’s life.

Taking notice of the incident, the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore has sought a detailed report from the SSP City Zone. The report is expected to cover the circumstances of the crash, the condition of the road at the point of impact, and the factors that allowed the vehicle to leave the carriageway and reach the footpath.

The Harbanspura Road corridor, which connects the eastern edge of the city with the Ring Road and the main arteries leading towards the city centre, carries heavy traffic throughout the day. Sections of the route are used by pedestrians and by residents of adjoining localities, and U-turn points along such corridors are frequently identified as sensitive spots where sudden manoeuvres and high approach speeds combine dangerously.

Traffic authorities have repeatedly warned that speeding remains among the leading causes of fatal road accidents in Lahore, particularly during the early morning hours when roads are relatively clear and drivers are tempted to accelerate. Officials have once again reminded citizens that speed limits, lane discipline and defensive driving are not mere formalities but life-saving measures.

Further investigation into the accident is under way, and the findings of the report submitted to the CTO Lahore are expected to determine what action follows.