KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and the Awami National Party were found in agreement on Saturday that the growing number of fatal accidents mainly by dumper trucks and tankers was the failure of the provincial government and law-enforcement agencies and demanded compensation for the families of the victims who had been crushed underthe heavyvehicles.

The top leadership of the two parties jointly shared their thoughts after a detailed meeting between the two sides at MQM-P office where the ANP delegationled by its Sindh chapter president Shahi Sayed met MQM leaders, including Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Syed Mustafa Kamal,DrFarooqSattar,AneesQaimkhani, Syed Amin-ul-Haque and others.

Later talking to the media, Dr Siddiqui claimed that there were `efforts underwayto destabilise the city`.

The engagement between the two parties, he said, was an initiative to counter the `conspiracy` and promote unity and brotherhood among the various ethnic groups in the city.

`We actually demanded the Sindh gov-ernment to provide justice for those being killed by dumpers and tankers,` he said.

`If tanker drivers are driving under the influence or without licences, it is a sign of administrative failure. The government institutions are responsible for monitoring heavy vehicle drivers and ensuring theircompetence. It is so unfortunate that while compensation is offered to those who die after drinking toxic liquor, no such assistance is given to victims of dumper-related deaths. We demand the government to pay the compensation to those who lost their loved ones due to failure of its institutions.

Shahi Sayed said that the issue of deaths in accidents caused by heavy vehicles was not an ethnic one but administrative and he condemned the efforts to give it an ethnic colour.

The ANP leader highlighted the rising unemployment in Karachi, the lack of water in pipelines, and the increasing number of road accidents.

`I strongly condemn reckless driving and but pulling out a gun after an accident is also an unacceptable act. Fighting is not the solution. The core issue in Karachi is the continuous injustice by the Sindh government. Karachi should be treated as part of Pakistan and its citizens should be given the right to live with dignity,` he added.