Stop that noise: No more music in public transport vehicles, warn traffic police

KARACHI:

The traffic police have launched a campaign against audio and video players in public transport vehicles in the city. Sindh Traffic Police deputy Inspector General Arif Hanif has directed all traffic police sections in the city to fine the drivers who play music in their buses, minibuses, coaches, rickshaws and taxies.

Hanif, however, denied the rumours about a threat having been received by the transport department from militants demanding to impose a ban on music players in public transport vehicles.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, DIG Hanif explained that playing music via tape recorder, music player, radio or transistor in public transport vehicles was a violation of Motor Vehicle Rules 1969 and the department’s campaign was to ensure that the law was obeyed. “The campaign has no link to any letter and we have not received any threats,” he said, adding that they were receiving complaints from citizens on the traffic police FM radio stations and on their help lines. “Playing music not only causes accidents but is also illegal and immoral which is why we have launched the campaign.”

A police official, sub-inpector Muhammad Idrees, explained that the traffic police usually seized music players and fined the drivers for playing music. “The special campaign was launched for 15 days after we received several complaints regarding the violation,” he said. “We are also running special campaigns against sub-standard CNG cylinders,” he added.

The traffic police claim to have seized 327 music players from public transport vehicles and fined 424 vehicles on the first day of the campaign which started on Tuesday. Moreover, more than 3,000 vehicles have been fined while 555 cylinders were seized in the campaign against sub-standard CNG cylinders which started on February 11.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2014.