Drivers without masks to be penalised in Punjab

Traffic police constitutes teams to implement new policy

LAHORE: The Lahore police on Wednesday introduced a policy of issuing challans to drivers for not wearing face masks.

The new policy also makes it mandatory for the citizens to wear a mask before entering the police offices.

Chief traffic Police Officer (CTO) Syed Hammad Raza said that those not wearing masks while driving a motorbike or a car with more than two passengers will be issued challans according to new SOPs.

Earlier, the federal government had announced that it would be mandatory to use face mask at public places. The CTO added that the City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) had constituted eight teams for implementing the orders and taking action over violation.

He said that other than these teams, traffic wardens would also play a role in this regard.

On the other hand, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Zulfiqar Hameed has imposed a ban on entry of officials and citizens without wearing masks into police offices. He said a complete ban would be observed to save the citizens and police officials from the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was taken in the wake of Lahore police being badly affected due to Covid-19. So far, the virus has claimed the lives of five police officials in Lahore and left over 100 others infected.

Hameed said policemen were on the frontline in the war against the virus. He further directed the officials in the offices to wash their hands repeatedly.

He also added that disinfectant spray was being carried out at police stations and offices to ensure clean environment for the personnel. Due to public dealing, the fear of being infected by the virus has been amplified at police stations. He added that, therefore, it was necessary that this fear was quelled at these points.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2020.