SHOs to face consequences for underage drivers

Traffic police ordered to streamline license issuance process

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court's (LHC) Justice Ali Zia Bajwa has instructed senior police officials to enforce rigorous actions against Station House Officers (SHOs) if teenagers are found driving without valid licenses, leading to accidents in their respective jurisdictions.

The directive came during a hearing presided over by Justice Bajwa on the plea of a teenage accused seeking a fair trial with due process.

The accused's car had collided with another vehicle, resulting in the tragic death of six individuals in Defence.

In response to the incident, Justice Bajwa ordered the initiation of a comprehensive campaign to halt motorists without valid licences, emphasising the need to protect lives on the roads.

Furthermore, Justice Bajwa, in response to complaints, directed the City Traffic Police (CTO) to provide e-paper promptly to individuals applying for licences.

The plea, seeking a fair trial, was later withdrawn after the petitioner's counsel, Advocate Irfan Bajwa, cited the inclusion of section 7-ATA in the FIR.

Read Vehicles driven by unlicensed drivers 'killing machines': LHC

With this addition, the case was slated to be heard by the LHC's division bench instead of the single bench.

Justice Bajwa stressed that no misuse of power would be tolerated during this campaign, emphasising that all actions must adhere to the law without any discriminatory practices.

Additional Advocate General Ghulam Sarwar Nihung disclosed that 2,986 FIRs had been registered against individuals found driving without licenses.

The accused's counsel, Irfan Bajwa, argued that while traffic rules allowed imposing a Rs500 fine on a teenager, registering FIRs was leading to a criminal history for them.

Justice Bajwa questioned whether driving without a license could be considered negligence, prompting the accused's counsel to provide any law or judgment supporting the act, which he couldn't do satisfactorily.

Regarding the accused Afnan Shafqat Awan, the law officer informed the court that the accused was on physical remand until November 23.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2023.