One-wheelers stir up night of Capital
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—At night, roads of Islamabad buzz- up with sounds of one-wheeling. Though this is a day capture where the youth, oblivious of dangers, tries his hands on pulling the bike up mocking at the face of life and authorities.
Hundreds of wheelers lost their life and many sustainedinjuries, dozens of them were critically wounded, while performing one-wheeling on roads in the twin cities of Rawalpindi andIslamabad during the last few months, police sources said adding that those died were mostly under-age riders. The youth left their homes to celebrate the thrill withtheir friends and did not return alive after showing jugglery tricks on their bikes.
“When the dead bodies are sent back to their homes, many condole, but few understand the circumstances that lead to their death,” remarked a police official. “The joy-riders manage to enter restricted roads and createlawlessness by teasing the families and throwing fire crackers atcars at night,” he added.
Hospitals sources said over a hundred injured, mostlyyoungsters, were received in Rawalpindi General Hospital, HolyFamily Hospital and PIMS and Federal Government Services Hospitalduring the Ramazan and Eid holidays. The young motorcyclists made mockery of the traffic police as well as rules in the name of thrill and play game of seek andhide, said Sajjad Ali, a van driver.
“It seems that Murree Road and Islamabad Highway are thehockey grounds for them”, he remarked. The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has decided to fine up to Rs 5,000 and award two-year imprisonment as a punishment to the voilators of road rules, like one-wheeling, Zubair Hashmi SSPTraffic Police said.
“Every nation, race and creed have a small percentage ofsuch daring individuals, who have the courage to push the limitsof human endeavour,” opined Tayyab Hussain, a businessman. “The wiser nations have recognized the existence of thesespecial individuals and have created for them avenues such as skydiving, under sea explorations, adventure sports such as mountainskiing, free falling and what not”, he observed. He was of the view that in a country like ours, this special breed of daredevils had no option but seek thrill at public roads,which sometimes proves fatal for them as well as others.
“One wheeling is a great sport and it takes a lot of guts todo so. I think instead of putting fine and trying to stop adventurous people, authorities concerned should promote such sports and educate the youth with safety measures,” Imran Nazir, a wheeler suggested.