Aleem Khan Meets IRU Secretary General for Road Safety Collaboration

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Communications Abdul was called on by Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), Umberto de Pretto.

Abdul emphasized in the meeting that protection of human lives is the government’s foremost responsibility and his top priority. He added that Pakistan will seek support from global institutions like IRU to reduce road accidents and ensure safer travel on highways & motorways.

Highlighting a key challenge, the Federal Minister pointed out that the issuance of driving licenses without proper testing is a major concern in the country. He added that while relevant laws and regulations already exist, the actual matter is to ensure strict enforcement. Umberto de Pretto, accompanied by his delegation, held a detailed meeting with and senior officials of the Ministry of Communications. He shared that according to global statistics 85% of road accidents occur due to human error.

He further informed that IRU has developed certification programmes for drivers and transport operators and is currently conducting online training sessions to meet modern standards of road safety. Federal Minister Abdul reiterated that ensuring safe driving is among his top priorities. In the first phase, the focus will be on completing the training of commercial drivers.

He acknowledged the vital role that institutions like IRU can play in improving road safety and traffic management, and assured that all commitments made during the discussions would be implemented in true letter and spirit.

Secretary General of IRU Umberto de Pretto expressed willingness to work in Pakistan and offered several proposals for bilateral cooperation. The Federal Secretary for Communications, Director General of the National Logistics Cell and Inspector General of Motorway Police also participated in the meeting. They briefed the attendees on departmental and operational matters.

It was agreed that senior officers from the Ministry of Communications will promptly hold follow-up meeting with the IRU delegation to finalize future plans and matters of collaboration.