Road to safety: Learner’s permit mandatory prerequisite for driving licence

IGP Durrani issues order after public grievances

PESHAWAR: IGP Nasir Khan Durrani issued a standing order to make a learner’s permit a prerequisite to a driving licence.

The order was issued to address public grievances expressed to the IGP when he visited the traffic DIG’s office.

The objective is to prevent the arbitrary exercise of powers in issuing driving licences and protect citizens against damage or loss caused by inexperienced or untrained drivers, an official handout stated.

According to the order, authorities will not be able to issue any kind of driving licence to an applicant who does not have a learner’s permit for the respective category of his vehicle. The learner’s permit shall be categorised according to vehicle she or he will use. The categories include motorcycles, cars, light and heavy vehicles and private transport vehicles.

Holders of a learner’s permit would be eligible to appear before the testing authority after six weeks (42 days).

After she or he fulfils all other requirements, they will be allowed to hold a driving licence as specified in the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965 and Motor Vehicle Rules, 1969. The learner’s permit shall be valid for six months.

However, someone with a licence issued by the army, an officer authorised by the government under the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, or anyone who has failed to renew a previous licence within the stipulated period will be exempt from obtaining a learner’s permit. This new policy’s aim is to formulate a swift, uniform, transparent and credible process.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2016.