Punjab to issue smart cards, motorcycle licences to 16-year-olds

Punjab eases immediate enforcement pressures, launches public-awareness drive on new, stricter traffic rules

Following the arrest of hundreds of students, young motorcycle riders and other traffic violators — and a surge of bail seekers crowding Lahore’s courts — the Punjab government has moved to ease immediate enforcement pressures and launch a large public-awareness drive on the province’s new, stricter traffic rules.

The shift comes as Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also agreed, in principle, to issue smart cards to 16-year-olds and allow them to obtain motorcycle driving licences, a step aimed at formalising and regulating underage riding rather than criminalising first-time offenders.

The change in tone follows directions from Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, who ordered that underage violators must not be arrested on their first offence and should instead be issued a warning. A second offence, she said, can still result in arrest under the law. Her intervention prompted the government to temporarily relax enforcement and begin a week-long awareness campaign focused on students and young riders.

Maryam distanced herself from the earlier hardline policy after reports emerged of students being handcuffed for traffic violations. She criticised the treatment of minors as criminals and said the real failure lay in society’s inability to promote safe road behaviour. Calling the violators “children,” she said parents must teach helmet use and road discipline.

She also maintained that while the government does not wish to arrest minors, adherence to traffic laws remains essential for public safety. The controversy escalated after traffic police were authorised to detain and handcuff individuals involved in traffic violations, raising concerns among parents that such arrests could affect their children’s academic or travel prospects.

Social media campaigns soon demanded an end to the arrests of students and underage riders. In response, Chief Justice Neelum held a meeting with the Inspector General of Punjab Police in her chamber and instructed him to ensure that no underage violator is arrested on a first offence.

She reiterated that warnings should precede any legal action and directed that an awareness campaign be launched immediately. Police across the province were subsequently ordered to halt arrests of underage riders during the campaign period and issue “warning challans” instead, particularly for those riding without helmets.

Briefing the chief minister, senior traffic officials stressed that enforcement has been even-handed. They noted that 2,445 police vehicles had also been fined for violating traffic laws. Maryam directed the force to enforce the law strictly yet respectfully, reminding officers that no citizen’s dignity should be compromised.

The High Court’s instructions also caused confusion, with some social media users wrongly claiming that the court had completely barred arrests of underage drivers. A review of proceedings, however, shows that the court did not suspend the law — it only clarified the legal requirement of issuing a warning on a first offence, with arrest permissible only on repetition.

Public reaction to the tightened rules remains divided. Many criticised the arrest of young riders and students, while others praised the crackdown as essential for protecting motorists and pedestrians.

The debate has also taken a humorous turn, with memes flooding social media. Meanwhile, helmet shops across Lahore have seen an unusual rush, as helmets are now mandatory for every person riding a motorcycle.

In a sweeping crackdown on traffic violations, the Punjab Traffic Police issued 63,970 challans across the province in the past 24 hours, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. Fines totalling more than Rs84 million were imposed during the drive, while 23,904 vehicles remain impounded at various police stations.

According to the spokesperson, 28,000 helmet-related violations were recorded in a single day, leading to 4,312 FIRs. To tighten enforcement, drone cameras have been deployed in Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan, while specialised Traffic Quick Force teams are now monitoring compliance.