Smuggled vehicles worth Rs9 billion seized in Quetta

Traffic police recovered about Rs33m in penalties last year

QUETTA: Quetta traffic police impounded 9,500 unregistered vehicles and 58 non-custom paid vehicles worth Rs9 billion last year while recovering about Rs33 million in penalties from the violators.

The sparsely populated province of Balochistan is known for the use of smuggled cars and auto parts. Most of the non-customs paid vehicles are brought to Pakistan allegedly through the Chaman border near Quetta, from where they are driven to different areas.





On Sunday, Quetta Traffic SP Hamid Shakil Sabir held a year-ender news conference at his office, where SP City Nazeer Ahmad, SP Sariab Sardar Hasan, DSP Musa Khel Javed Ahmad and other police officials were also present.

SP Hamid said the traffic police were working round the clock to curb violations despite the serious lack of human resources and facilities.

Between January 1 and December 31 last year, 140,538 vehicles were fined for violating different rules while tinted windshields and windows of 1,121 vehicles were also removed. The penalties amounted to over Rs33 million. The 58 non-customs paid vehicles seized were handed them over to the Customs Department.

Traffic police also held lectures at different educational institutions to sensitise citizens and students about traffic laws. SP Hamid said the traffic police force, comprising 389 officials and personnel, were doing their utmost to maintain the flow of traffic in the city.



He pointed out the absence of a traffic engineering bureau, lack of human resource in traffic policing department and the unavailability of modern traffic controlling apparatus were troubling the traffic police. Quetta city’s narrow roads and absence of parking lots were also mentioned as problems.

Smuggling bid: Weapons cache found hidden in cars

“If the citizens develop some sense of traffic laws, there will be no need of employing further resources on maintaining the traffic flow,” he complained. “Traffic will not be blocked if the citizens respect and care about others during rush hours,” he said. “Rash driving and wrong parking disturb the flow of traffic.”

SP Hamid said there were about 12,500 registered rickshaws plying in Quetta. Around 8,500 rickshaws have been issued fitness stickers after complete check-up.

The traffic police have been promised four Japanese heavy bikes by newly elected Balochistan Assembly Speaker Raheela Durani. MPA Tahir Mehmood Khan is also building two traffic complexes in Quetta. Balochistan traffic police chief has also provided nine motorcycles from the funds allocated by the provincial government.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2016.