Driving licence office awaits VIP attention

Facility in Gujjar Khan ready, but not working

RAWALPINDI:

The driving licence office in Gujjar Khan has yet to become operational due to the political interference, official sources said on Monday.

The office set up to facilitate the people cannot dispense the benefits owing to a row over who will cut the ribbon and get his name on the plaque, officials told The Express Tribune.

Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Ahsan Younus had ordered to set up driving licence offices at tehsil level too so that people would not have to come to the main city branch to get their driving licences.

Subsequently, it was decided that licence offices will be set up in Taxila and Gujjar Khan. The facility in Taxila was almost ready when it mired into controversies. A rift developed among the political workers as they maintained that the licence office should be inaugurated by a political leader of the area.

It was due to the same reason that the facility was inaugurated by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan recently despite that it was complete for a long time.

The new office in Taxila is completely equipped with all facilities including a track for driving test and closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs).

Similarly, Gujjar Khan driving licence office is ready, but it is not working because a VIP has yet to inaugurate it.

Many rumours are running rife on the delay of the opening of the facility.

The people have demanded to make the license office in Tehsil Gujjar Khan operational at the earliest.

In this regard, City Traffic Police (CTP) spokesperson told The Express Tribune on contact that the office was complete in all aspects. He added that the process of staff's deployment has been completed too.

The official said that the office would become operational once it would be inaugurated.

Javed Kausar, who is the MPA from PP-9, said that he played a role in providing driving licence facilities at the tehsil level.

He added that only elected public representatives work for the welfare of the people. The lawmaker refuted all claims of political interference and influence in the matter.

Kausar said that the City Traffic Officer (CTO) and he were currently busy owing to which the inauguration has been delayed.

Kausar said that he and MPA Chaudhry Sajid would soon inaugurate the project.

He added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would provide basic amenities to the people at their doorsteps.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2021.