For Immediate Release
Karachi | 25 November 2025
The Bridge for Resilience, Empowerment and Development Organization (BREDO) today expressed serious concern over the increasing presence of hazardous materials being transported across major roads in Karachi, warning that the situation has become a significant contributor to traffic accidents, injuries, and road-safety risks in the country’s largest metropolitan city.
Recent assessments and field observations indicate that Karachi experiences over 30,000 road accidents annually, with heavy vehicles, including those carrying chemical, fuel, and industrial cargo, responsible for a disproportionately large share of severe crashes. Several incidents involving hazardous materials have resulted in spillovers, fires, secondary collisions, and prolonged road closures, placing communities and responders at heightened risk.
High-Risk Corridors and Red Zones
The UN Pakistan assessment highlights several accident-prone locations where the movement of hazardous-cargo vehicles intersects with dense urban traffic. Key red zones include:
| Rashid Minhas Corridor and Shahrah-e-Faisal Intersections | Heavy-goods vehicles and dumpers operating near flyovers in this zone have been repeatedly involved in fatal crashes. Congestion, excessive speed, and limited lane discipline continue to intensify accident severity. |
| District South Commercial Arteries | Areas with high business activity show elevated accident frequency, particularly during peak hours when cargo carriers move through mixed-traffic conditions. |
| Industrial and Port-Linked Routes | Corridors connecting Karachi Port, industrial estates, and warehousing hubs report a high volume of chemical, petroleum, and toxic-material transport. These routes are particularly vulnerable due to road degradation, heavy loading, and the absence of designated hazardous-cargo lanes. |
Scale of the Problem
Preliminary analysis shows that over 26,000 accidents each year occur on Karachi’s major arteries, where hazardous materials are frequently transported. Nationally, road tragedies contribute to nearly 28,000 fatalities annually, with urban centers bearing the highest burden. The UN warns that without immediate regulatory and infrastructural interventions, hazardous-material incidents may increase in both frequency and severity.
BREDO Calls for Urgent Multi-Agency Action
The Bridge for Resilience, Empowerment and Development Organization (BREDO) recommends a coordinated response involving national, provincial, and municipal authorities, industry stakeholders, and emergency-response agencies. Priority actions include:
| Allocation of Designated Hazardous-Cargo Routes | Restricting the movement of dangerous goods through high-density areas during peak hours is vital for immediate risk reduction. |
| Strengthening Vehicle Safety and Compliance Checks | Enhanced monitoring of vehicle condition, load security, and driver certification is essential for preventing dangerous goods accidents. |
| Real-Time Monitoring and Emergency Protocols | Adopting GPS-based tracking systems, rapid-response coordination, and specialized firefighting and spill-control units can significantly reduce casualty risks. |
| Engineering Improvements on Accident Hotspots | Upgrading intersections, flyovers, and road signage in identified red zones will support safer mobility and reduce crash severity. |
| Integrated Accident and Hazardous-Cargo Data Platform | A unified digital system linking transport data, cargo manifests, and crash reports will enable predictive mapping and faster interventions. |
Commitment to Public Safety
BREDO reaffirms its commitment to supporting road-safety reforms, urban-transport planning, and emergency-response strengthening in Karachi and across the country. Ensuring safe transport of hazardous materials is essential for protecting lives, safeguarding communities, and supporting sustainable urban development.
