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US embassy vehicle smashes CDA snorkel
Monday, October 26, 2009
By Mobarik A Virk
ISLAMABAD: An important vehicle of the Disaster Management Directorate of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was badly smashed when it was hit by a recklessly driven Land Cruiser, bearing registration number plate LG-1, Islamabad, at the Radio Pakistan Chowk on the Constitution Avenue at around 9:15 am on Sunday.
According to the Secretariat Police, the Land Cruiser belonged to the Embassy of the United States of America in Islamabad and was driven by Jimmy Mort, working in the Defence Attaches office and enjoying diplomatic status.
Repeated attempts were made to contact the US Embassy spokesperson to ascertain the details of the accident as well as the identity of the driver of the vehicle and his status in the embassy, but the calls were not entertained.
The spokesman for the CDA, Director-General (Civic Management) Syed Mustafain Kazmi, told The News that the Bronto Sky-lift, a vehicle commissioned in the Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate in March 2009, was on its way to its duty point at the Prime Ministers Secretariat from the Fire Headquarters.
When it reached the Radio Pakistan Chowk on the Constitution Avenue, it was hit in the flank by a Land Cruiser vehicle, coming from the direction of the Parliament House. The impact was so powerful that it completely destroyed the Sensor Panel of the Auto Levelling System of the riggers, which forms the base for the 29 meter high ladder and one of the four riggers was twisted, the CDA spokesman said.
Eyewitnesses told The News that immediately after the accident, police officials, both of security as well as the Traffic Police who were on duty at the intersection, rushed to the vehicles to help the passengers in the Land Cruiser. But the gentleman locked the vehicle and refused even to lower the window to talk to the police and the CDA officials till the time some officials of the US embassy reached the spot.
Only on their arrival, the gentleman, who was later identified as Jimmy Mort, an official working in the Defence Section of the US Embassy and enjoying diplomatic status, unlocked the car and was shifted to another vehicle and was immediately driven away from the scene of the accident, said eye-witnesses.
However, the Secretariat Police have registered a case against Jimmy Mort for rash driving, jumping the signal and non-cooperation with the police in FIR No: 167/2009.
The CDA spokesman told The News that the Bronto Sky-Lift, a vehicle imported from Finland, had cost the Authority over Rs 90 million. As the vehicle is a very important part of the Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate of the CDA and amidst the prevailing circumstances, it is all the more important to keep all such vehicles in a high state of preparedness, we cannot afford to keep it off fleet for long period of time, the CDA spokesman said.
We immediately contacted the company in Finland, which delivered the vehicle, sent them the pictures of the damaged parts of the vehicle and they have informed us that the whole rigger assembly, including the auto levelling system sensor panel needs to be replaced. These parts alone will cost the CDA around Rs 25 million, Kazmi said.
He said that if an order for the replacement/repair of the parts and vehicle was put immediately, it would take at least one month for the necessary parts to reach Pakistan after shipment from Finland.
Besides, a team of Finnish engineers from the company, which provided the vehicle, will travel to Islamabad for the necessary repairs/replacement and carrying out tests to check the working after repair/replacement of parts.
Inspector Hakim Khan, the Station House Officer of the Secretariat Police, said that the FIR in the accident had been lodged already and the US national, Jimmy Mort, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident, had been nominated in the case.
Unless and until the gentleman or the US Embassy on his behalf settles the matter with the CDA, the complainant party in the case, we will pursue the case and follow the laid down rules in this matter, involving the Foreign Office, or whosoever is required to be taken into the loop to investigate the matter, Inspector Hakim Khan said.
Monday, October 26, 2009
By Mobarik A Virk
ISLAMABAD: An important vehicle of the Disaster Management Directorate of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was badly smashed when it was hit by a recklessly driven Land Cruiser, bearing registration number plate LG-1, Islamabad, at the Radio Pakistan Chowk on the Constitution Avenue at around 9:15 am on Sunday.
According to the Secretariat Police, the Land Cruiser belonged to the Embassy of the United States of America in Islamabad and was driven by Jimmy Mort, working in the Defence Attaches office and enjoying diplomatic status.
Repeated attempts were made to contact the US Embassy spokesperson to ascertain the details of the accident as well as the identity of the driver of the vehicle and his status in the embassy, but the calls were not entertained.
The spokesman for the CDA, Director-General (Civic Management) Syed Mustafain Kazmi, told The News that the Bronto Sky-lift, a vehicle commissioned in the Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate in March 2009, was on its way to its duty point at the Prime Ministers Secretariat from the Fire Headquarters.
When it reached the Radio Pakistan Chowk on the Constitution Avenue, it was hit in the flank by a Land Cruiser vehicle, coming from the direction of the Parliament House. The impact was so powerful that it completely destroyed the Sensor Panel of the Auto Levelling System of the riggers, which forms the base for the 29 meter high ladder and one of the four riggers was twisted, the CDA spokesman said.
Eyewitnesses told The News that immediately after the accident, police officials, both of security as well as the Traffic Police who were on duty at the intersection, rushed to the vehicles to help the passengers in the Land Cruiser. But the gentleman locked the vehicle and refused even to lower the window to talk to the police and the CDA officials till the time some officials of the US embassy reached the spot.
Only on their arrival, the gentleman, who was later identified as Jimmy Mort, an official working in the Defence Section of the US Embassy and enjoying diplomatic status, unlocked the car and was shifted to another vehicle and was immediately driven away from the scene of the accident, said eye-witnesses.
However, the Secretariat Police have registered a case against Jimmy Mort for rash driving, jumping the signal and non-cooperation with the police in FIR No: 167/2009.
The CDA spokesman told The News that the Bronto Sky-Lift, a vehicle imported from Finland, had cost the Authority over Rs 90 million. As the vehicle is a very important part of the Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate of the CDA and amidst the prevailing circumstances, it is all the more important to keep all such vehicles in a high state of preparedness, we cannot afford to keep it off fleet for long period of time, the CDA spokesman said.
We immediately contacted the company in Finland, which delivered the vehicle, sent them the pictures of the damaged parts of the vehicle and they have informed us that the whole rigger assembly, including the auto levelling system sensor panel needs to be replaced. These parts alone will cost the CDA around Rs 25 million, Kazmi said.
He said that if an order for the replacement/repair of the parts and vehicle was put immediately, it would take at least one month for the necessary parts to reach Pakistan after shipment from Finland.
Besides, a team of Finnish engineers from the company, which provided the vehicle, will travel to Islamabad for the necessary repairs/replacement and carrying out tests to check the working after repair/replacement of parts.
Inspector Hakim Khan, the Station House Officer of the Secretariat Police, said that the FIR in the accident had been lodged already and the US national, Jimmy Mort, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident, had been nominated in the case.
Unless and until the gentleman or the US Embassy on his behalf settles the matter with the CDA, the complainant party in the case, we will pursue the case and follow the laid down rules in this matter, involving the Foreign Office, or whosoever is required to be taken into the loop to investigate the matter, Inspector Hakim Khan said.
