Rawalpindi police launch crackdown on pillion riding

SHOs given target to impound at least 15 bikes daily

RAWALPINDI: All SHOs in Rawalpindi have been assigned target to impound at least 15 bikes each per day for pillion-riding ban violation, sources said.

Bikers are in a quandary after home department slapped a ban on pillion riding. Police are arresting violators and locking up their rides for ignoring section 144 imposed by the provincial government on riding of more than one person on a motorbike.

The ban has been implemented to stop acts of street crimes during shopping and festivities related to Eid.

The Rawalpindi City Traffic Police (CTO) has come out to ensure implementation on pillion riding ban with the assistance of district Police in Rawalpindi.

Around 178 violators have issued tickets. Besides, 80 motorbikes were impounded when police during snap checking found that the riders did not have complete documents of the vehicles, the spokesperson of CTP said.

Moreover, CTP has called in reserves from Rawalpindi police lines and set up pickets in different areas to ensure implementation of the pillion-riding ban.

However, it was revealed that the Rawalpindi police officials were not taken on board in the decision to ban pillion riding from 7 pm to 7 am effective from May 21 to June 5.

The decision was taken in line with recommendations from the Deputy Commissioner (DC) to curtail street crimes that are on a rise in the recent days.

The City Police Officer (CPO) Faisal Rana told The Express Tribune that no consensus with them was developed before taking the decision.

Rawalpindi police were working hard to curtail street crimes in the city, he said and added: “We did not send any such recommendation on our part. The police are ensuring teamwork to make the city’s law and order situation better.”

He said that such kinds of restrictions become hard to implement during Ramazan while the people would face severe difficulties due to ban however the government orders would be implemented to maintain law and order.

Further, the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) has directed the education wing and sector in-charges of the department to create awareness amongst the citizens regarding the ban and its implementation.

Meanwhile, all SHO in the city have been given a target to impound at least fifteen motorcycles daily as well as registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) against the violation of section 144 in same numbers, a duty officer told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity. He said these directions have come from divisional SPs.

Another senior police official while talking to The Express Tribune said they have directed policemen to be lenient with women, children, and elders.

He said that students who proved their identity would also be shown leniency.

He added the police would aim guns squarely at youngsters aged between 20-40 years and detain them if they fail to prove their identity.

When The Express Tribune contacted police officials in different police stations, they said up to 10 motorcyclists were brought to police stations regularly while cases against them were also being registered since the crackdown had begun.

In this regard, The Express Tribune made numerous attempts to contact SSP Operations Ali Akbar, but he could not be reached.

Meanwhile, the police spokesperson said that Rawalpindi police was only ensuring enforcement of ban imposed by the Punjab government.

He refuted that any targets were given and said that action against all violators would be taken.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2019.