Decision overridden: Police reverses helmet requirements for female pillion riders

IG Sindh directs that women do not have to wear helmets

KARACHI: The decision of female pillion riders wearing helmet, which was recently imposed by the Traffic Police under the orders of Traffic DIG, was taken off following the intense appeal by the public.

According to the IG Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali, “Females on motorbikes do not have to wear helmets as it is not practically possible for them to handle the safety device”.

Meanwhile, a senior traffic police official, on the condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune, that the IG did not have the right to suspend the orders of Traffic DIG.

“There have been around 13 female casualties on motorbikes this year,” the official pointed out, questioning who would take the responsibility if more women died due to motorbike accident.

The official added that the traffic police’s helmet compulsory drive was part of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, under the section 89-A, the IG did not have the rights to suspend the action.

The helmet drive was scheduled to kick off on Monday, June 8 by the traffic police, but it was postponed for a day.