Traffic police use foul language with drivers: APOTOA

Association sends complaint to police high-ups identifying 27 spots where cops demand bribes

KARACHI:

All Pakistan Oil Tanker Owners Association (APOTOA) has exposed the culture of bribery and use of vulgar language by traffic police in all over Sindh including Karachi.

The APOTOA senior vice chairman, Mir Shams Shahwani has sent a letter to IGP Mushtaq Mehar and Karachi Police Chief Imran Yaqub Minhas in which more than 21 places in Karachi and six places in Sindh has been identified where it has been alleged that the traffic police unjustifiably harass the drivers of oil tankers and demand bribes.

It has been alleged that the problems faced by the oil tankers for a long time are becoming more and more severe.

"Traffic police in different parts of Karachi use foul language with our oil tanker drivers and demand Rs3,000 to Rs5,000 as bribe and if their demands are not met, they threaten to call the local police and get a case filed. I would like to bring to your notice that the company does not load the oil tanker until all the other documents including driving licence, physical fitness and road permits are available," the letter read.

He said in the letter that despite completing all documents, illegal challans are issued. "Oil tankers are used to supply POL products in the interior of Sindh as well as in Karachi while there are instructions from the provinces and the federal government that there should be no disruption in the supply," he explained.

"Misbehaviour of traffic police is that they deflate tyres of oil tankers filled with petrol which may result into any disaster if tankers are stopped for three to four hours and the entire responsibility will be on the traffic police," the letter warned.

More than 21 spots in different areas of Karachi have been identified including the place outside Jackson police station in Shereen Jinnah Colony, in front of Port Qasim Chowk Gulshan Hadeed, Quaidabad, Yousuf Goth, Gul Bai Chowrangi, Ghani Chowrangi, Stop No. 20 Shereen Jinnah Colony, Malir 15, Mai Kolachi Road, different places on Northern Bypass, Godam Chowrangi, Akhtar Colony Chowk, Defence Moor, Shah Latif Town, Manzil Pump, Sohrab Goth, Qayyumabad, Malir, Bilawal Chowrangi, Tower, Native Jetty and Chamra Chowrangi.

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In addition to this, there are six places in interior Sindh including Jamshoro, Sehwan, Dadu, Larkana Bypass, Mirpur Khas to Hyderabad and Sukkur to Nawabshah where Rs2,000 to Rs5,000 bribe is demanded by the traffic police.

"Our drivers ensure the supply of petrol in all situations while risking their lives. Therefore, the misbehaviour of traffic police is unbearable. Strict action should be taken against the corrupt personnel in the department," the letter demanded. "Otherwise, we would be forced to protest and stop supplies," it added.

Meanwhile, upon receiving reports of traffic policemen seeking bribe from an oil tanker driver, Shahwani himself arrived on the spot near Bilawal Chowrangi and got Rs100 bribe recovered from the traffic policeman. He also warned the traffic personnel to refrain from harassing the drivers of oil tankers.

Moreover, the footage of the incident also went viral on social media in which Shahwani can be seen returning the bribe money received from the traffic policeman to the driver.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2021.