For ARUP activities, the year 2001 began with the Concluding Session of the Road Stakeholders Consultation Programme, which was held at the NHA building, Islamabad on 18th January, 2001. This session was presided over by Maj. Gen. Tariq Javed, Chairman NHA and the final part of the session was attended by the Federal Minister for Communication and Railways, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Javed Ashraf Qazi. Several members of the ARUP Executive Board and selected Road Stakeholders representatives from all provinces participated in a lively discussion on road matters. Far reaching recommendations were made to the federal Minister for Communications which he promised to implement.
The ARUP Road Safety Booklet, the first of its kind in Pakistan was published in February 2001. The booklet has been acknowledged and appreciated by critics and supporters alike, as a fine contribution by ARUP towards its effort in promoting a road safety culture in Pakistan. Work is underway for the Urdu edition of "ARSB" which is now expected to be published in October 2001. Subject to availability of funds ARUP plans to publish 10,000 copies of the Urdu edition for a wide circulation. Donations from well-wishers for this worthwhile project will be gratefully accepted by ARUP.
ARUP Islamabad has continued its good practical work by organizing Road Side Camps in collaboration with the Islamabad Traffic Police and the Environment Protection Agency and with the support of ENERCON and Boy Scouts. The purpose of such camps is to create awareness amongst road users of the importance of obeying traffic laws/regulations and of preserving our environment by minimizing vehicular emission and noise. Road side camps were once again organized in Islamabad/Rawalpindi during March/April, 2001.
Secretary General completed ARUP's Final Report of the Road Stakeholder Consultation Programme in April 2001. Thirty copies of the Final Report, containing valuable countrywide data on basic road indicators and pertinent comments of road stakeholders, have been sent through the World Bank in May 2001, to all important decision makers in the road sector of Pakistan. This Final Report is a historic document and will project ARUP's image as first class professional organization, dedicated towards the improvement of roads in Pakistan.
Sardar M. Humayun Khan, Joint Secretary Punjab, Mr. Ansab Amin Chaudhary, Member Executive Board from Punjab accompanied by the Secretary General held two meetings with Mr. Muhammad Altaf Qamar, DIG Traffic Punjab at Lahore. As a result of these efforts plans have been finalized for establishing a Accident Reporting Centre (ARC), adjacent to the DIG Traffic's Office in Lahore. The ARC will initially cover the Lahore district and soon extend its activities to cover all of Punjab. The Centre, which will be fully computerized will collect accident data, analyze causes of accidents and submit reports. ARUP is looking for financial support from its Corporate Members and other well-wishers for raising a sum of Rs. 1,000,000/- required for establishing the ARC.
Road Safety and traffic Education for school children as a regular part of the school curriculum is another campaign which ARUP is working upon very seriously. In 2000, Mrs. F.S. Ahmed, Joint Secretary Sindh and Secretary General were invited to the Jaffer Public School in PECHS, Karachi and gave a lecture to the students on Road Safety.
The Secretary General called on Ms. Anita Ghulamali, Provincial Education Minister, GoS in Karachi in May 2001 and impressed upon her of the urgent need for introducing "Road Safety and Traffic Education" as a regular part of the school curriculum . The Minister has suggested that she would invite the ARUP team to make a full presentation on this subject in the near future. ARUP feels that the way forward in this crusade is through the private sector schools. Therefore the Secretary General has had several meetings during 2000/2001 with Mrs. Roohi Haque, Director of Education Beconhouse School System, Lahore to project this idea. We have made some headway in ARUP's recent meeting in May 2001, at the Beconhouse School Systems hedquarters in Lahore, when Secretary General and Sardar M. Humayun Khan met with Ms. Shahzadi Mirza, Additional Regional Director, Central Region and Lt. Col ® Shahid Latif, Manager Administration. Discussions on a proposed syllabus and modalities of the Road Safety and Traffic Education programme will be held in October 2001.
ARUP has been working since 1999, on the concept of a Commercial Drivers Training Institute (CDTI) at Karachi, which would mainly provide refresher courses for truck, tanker, trailer, bus, van and taxis drivers, the most vunerable group prone to accidents. It is envisaged that CDTI will be initially funded with Rs. 5,000,000/- seed money from ARUP Corporate Members and will operate as a commercially viable concern. In June 2001, the Provincial Minister of Transport, Dewan Yousuf Farooqui during a meeting of the Sindh Transport Safety Committee has directed the Secretary Transport, GoS to hand over to ARUP as soon as possible, the premises and equipment of the Driver Training School of the defunct KTC at Mongophir Road, S.I.T.E, Karachi.
The modalities of the lease agreement between GoS and ARUP are being worked out. It is expected that CDTI would be operational by November 2001. ARUP Corporate Members with a special interest in commercial driver training, like Hinopak, PSO, Consult & Train, Security Packers, Plastic Autosafe have already expressed an interest in a leading role in the management of the CDTI.
World Environment day was held on 7th June, 2001. ARUP Islamabad under the able leadership of Mr. Asif J. Khawaja, Dr. Noman Qadir and Commander ® Tahir Nizami, participated actively in all the events sponsored by ENERCON and EPA. The Federal Minister for Environment presided over a function held at Islamabad on 7th June, 2001 at which Mr. Asif J. Khawaja as ARUP representative was also seated on the stage.
The climax of ARUP activities so far for the year 2001, has been the launching of ARUP Website in end June 2001. Please visit our site at www.pakroadusers.org or www.pakroadusers.com and register your comments, suggestions or complaints about any road matter. Your interaction with ARUP through the website will be most welcome and we hope to hear from you on a regular basis.
NHA organized a two day Seminar on 10th and 11th May 2001, at Islamabad. Mr. Asif J. Khawaja, ARUP Executive Board Member from Islamabad presented the summary of the proceedings.
The Pakistan Petroleum Exploration and Production Companies Association (PPEPCA) organized a one day Seminar at Islamabad on Road Safety on 15-05-2001. ARUP members from Islamabad participated actively in this well attended Seminar.
Thanks to the marketing efforts of Mr. Asif J. Khawaja PPEPCA purchased 100 copies of the "ARSB" which were distributed to the participants by the organizers.
The President, Secretary General, Mr. Islam Salim, Vice President Sindh and Mrs. F.S. Ahmed, Joint Secretary Sindh have been invited by the Chairman National Highway Authority to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Moro-Kotri Kabir Section of N-5 to be held at 09:30 hours on 28, June 2001 at Naushero Feroze Bypass. Governor of Sindh Mr. Mohammadmian Soomro, will perform the inauguration ceremony and ARUP will be well represented.

Agenda 2001

January concluding session of road stakeholders consultation programme at Islamabad

February launching of ARUP road safety booklet

March roadside camps at Islamabad for traffic management, road safety and combating vehicular pollution

April final report on road stakeholders consultation workshops

May proposal for accident reporting centre at lahore in collaboration with Punjab Traffic Police.

June establishment of ARUP website

July campaign on road safety and traffic education for school children. (on going)

August proposal for ARUP commercial driver training institute at Karachi

September launching of urdu edition of road safety booklet. Roadside camps at Karachi for traffic management, road safety and combating vehicular pollution.

October one day seminar at peshawar on "Prevention of overloading of vehicles on highways of Pakistan"

November roadside camps at Lahore for traffic management, road safety and combating vehicular pollution.

December one day seminar at Karachi on "The importance of road safety and traffic education for school children".