One-wheelers dominate the highways, as cops stand by silently

The loss of their little son, who died in a deadly one-wheeling accident on Peshawar’s crowded University Road two years ago on Independence Day, has left Noman’s family still in shock. Noman lost his life in the terrible event, which serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of one-wheeling, which is still prevalent across the nation. Noman Khan’s brother, Faheem Khan, bemoaned to the Express Tribune the catastrophic effects of similar tragedies.

“I never thought our life would fall apart so quickly. With a broken heart, Faheem remarked, “My brother’s desire for adrenaline-fueled feats cost him his life. In a similar vein, Asif, a young guy living in the Chamkani area of Peshawar, was recently involved in a motorbike accident that resulted in serious injuries, including a fractured arm that prevents him from working. Liaquat, Asif’s father, described how painful it was to see his son go through this, and he called for stricter laws and greater awareness to prevent such dangerous behavior. “We forewarned him repeatedly, but he ignored us. Now, his carelessness has permanently changed our life,” Liaquat said in a sorrowful voice.

The problem of one-wheeling is not limited to Peshawar; it also affects other cities like Lahore and Karachi. Speaking with the Express Tribune, young thrill-seekers Ismail Khan, Salman Masih, and Kashan Saleem—who were recently named in a Lahore Police FIR for one-wheeling—illustrated the attraction of the risky pastime. “When we ride in groups, we enjoy the admiration of onlookers. Ismail clarified that the feeling of power we have is an addiction. In support of Ismail’s claim, Salman, a store employee, acknowledged that one-wheeling gave him an unmatched high despite the hazards involved. In the meanwhile, other youth organizations host tournaments that draw sizable crowds in Karachi, where the one-wheeling mania is comparable to that in Peshawar and Lahore.

Even if it has a terrible impact on lives and livelihoods, supporters like Waseem Ahmad defend the practice by comparing it to a sport. Waseem, an experienced rider in Karachi’s one-wheeling community, said simply, “We live for the thrill.” Police departments around the nation appear to be at a loss for effective ways to stop the practice, since one-wheelers are blind to the clear hazards involved with the sport beyond the thrill of adrenaline. Amara Athar, the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) for Lahore, said that the thrill-seeking behavior connected with one-wheeling was pushing the nation’s young towards danger, hence it was imperative that in addition to tough legislation, educational efforts were also needed. In order to stop the escalating number of one-wheeling accidents and fatalities, Amara emphasized the significance of stringent laws and effective police. Contrary to Amara’s recommendations, traffic police in Karachi are only partially successful in stopping one-wheeling, with only a small percentage of offenders receiving monthly penalties. While giving a terrifying story of his son’s almost deadly accident, Abdul Jabbar, a worried parent from the Gulshan-e-Hadeed district, lamented the lack of enforcement of current regulations by the traffic police.

“We cannot watch helplessly as our kids endanger their lives. Jabbar begged the government to take action against this threat before it takes more innocent lives. The number of one-wheeling-related accidents and fines is increasing, despite the fact that traffic police units throughout the nation do not keep precise records of these incidents.

As a result, there is increasing agreement that collective action is necessary. Peshawar-based lawyer Ali Gohar underlined the need for society engagement, advocating for education and awareness campaigns to address the underlying roots of the issue. “We all have a responsibility to handle this situation. We need to collaborate as a community, from parents to legislators, to keep our children safe,” Ali said.