President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing road safety and reducing traffic-related fatalities through stronger regulation, improved infrastructure, and public awareness campaigns.
During a meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr with Mr Jean Henri Todt, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, President Zardari appreciated the United Nations and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) for their continued technical support to developing countries, including Pakistan.
Welcoming Mr Todt and his delegation, the president praised his global leadership and advocacy for road safety, acknowledging his pioneering role as the first UN Special Envoy for Road Safety appointed by former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
He highlighted Pakistan’s recent hosting of the Regional Transport Ministers Conference (RTMC) on October 23–24, 2025, as a significant regional initiative toward safer and more connected transport networks. President Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s focus on modernising road infrastructure, upgrading traffic management systems, and building a sustainable and inclusive transport network.
Mr Todt commended Pakistan’s efforts and shared that road accidents claim around 1.2 million lives annually across the globe, causing economic losses worth billions of dollars. He stressed the importance of road safety education, stronger law enforcement, safer vehicles, and improved road quality to address this global challenge.
Senators Sherry Rehman and Saleem Mandviwalla were also present during the meeting.
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