'City's traffic cops among vulnerable sections of society'

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Friday stated that the traffic policemen are among the most vulnerable members of society who endure long hours in temperatures reaching 40 to 45 degrees Celsius.

He was responding to a call attention notice by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan MPA Jamal Ahmed who raised concern about underage children driving rickshaws in Karachi and not being fined by the traffic police. He also noted that traffic police are absent from roads during school timings.

He acknowledged that while there are good and bad individuals everywhere, it is unfair to blame the entire department for the actions of a few.

Memon emphasised that traffic policemen have faced targeted attacks in Karachi in the past, yet they continue to perform their duties with great courage. He noted that blaming the entire department in any incident only serves to demoralise the officers who put their lives on the line daily.

While discussing the call attention notice in the Sindh Assembly, Memon told the House that from January 1 to October 30, a total of 304 challans have been issued for underage driving, resulting in the government collecting Rs912,000 in fines.

Additionally, 1,860 individuals were challaned for driving without a license, which generated Rs3.72 million in revenue. Furthermore, 60 Qingqi rickshaws were penalised for violating traffic rules, leading to a total fine of Rs120,000 collected. The transport minister stated that although Qingqi rickshaws are officially banned they continue to operate in the city due to a court injunction.

He said that MQM-P MPA has said that children were driving rickshaws, whereas, nowadays, children are driving motorcycles, cars and even SUVs. The greatest responsibility in this matter rests with the parents, "why are we turning a blind eye to this issue? If any accident happens to a child, it will be considered murder, as the accident caused by giving keys to innocent children falls under the category of murder." Memon said, "we should realise how much we follow traffic rules."