Sindh

Drivers without licences saved from jail, only to be fined

Sindh IG announces retraction of drive even before it begins

Our Correspondent November 04, 2015

Sindh IG announces retraction of drive even before it begins. PHOTO: APP

KARACHI: The Karachi traffic police's campaign to send drivers without licences to jail took another embarrassing turn on Wednesday when Sindh IG Ghulam Haider Jamali decided to only impose fines against such drivers instead of sending them to prison.

The IG was meeting the traffic officials in a meeting to discuss the city's traffic woes. Talking to The Express Tribune on Wednesday, Traffic AIG Khadim Hussain Bhatti said that it has been decided not to arrest motorists without licences and instead only impose the regular fine of Rs500 on them.

DIG allows three months to get driving licences

Referring to section 99 of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, under which it was earlier decided to put drivers without licences behind bars, he said that the section was particularly for negligent driving, thus it cannot be used against drivers without licences.

It seemed it would take longer to get the situation back to normal at the driving licence offices, he said. "That is why we have decided to completely cancel the campaign to end the public's fear of being arrested," he reasoned.

Traffic DIG Amir Ahmed Shaikh's campaign to bring a semblance of order to Karachi's busy streets has, since its inception, been receiving huge blows. Soon after the launch of the campaign on Monday morning, it was immediately called off for a month, when work in all three licence branches of the city - Korangi, Nazimabad and Clifton - came to a standstill as thousands thronged the offices to get their licences made or renewed. Subsequently, the police and Rangers had to be called in to manage the increasingly restless crowds.

Traffic police to arrest people driving without a licence

Later, driving licence DIG Aftab Pathan gave a three-month extension on Tuesday to people who had been driving without licences in the city to reduce the rush at the driving licence branches. The Sindh home department conveyed a strong reaction to an ill-prepared campaign to arrest and jail drivers without driving licences and a letter from the home department was sent to Jamali by additional home chief secretary, Muhammad Waseem.

Traffic AIG Bhatti also announced the establishment of 12 stations across the city where learners' licences can be obtained, along with two new driving licence branches to cope with the situation. He also said that a mobile van service for learners' licences will also be kicked off soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (6)

pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply Just goes to show, if people know authorities serious about implementing laws, the try to abide by them, as evidenced by the queues at the licence office. Pakistan would be a much better place if traffic laws were enforced - its not rocket science!

Lion King | 9 years ago | Reply Corrupt Sindhi rulers of wadera occupied colony of Karachi keep coining new ways to extract money from people of Karachi's pockets. Have we ever heard of any such campaign ever run in Larkana, Shikarpur, Sehwan, Sukkur, etc. ???

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Reader | 9 years ago | Reply As the Chief Justice pointed out, to the Senate, laws which cannot be enforced, implemented, are useless. This is the fault in our system, we have laws for everything, but unable to implement. Rather have fewer laws and good implementation, and enforcement, than too many laws which cannot be implemented. Our Law enforcement agencies do not know the laws, are not equipped to interpret them correctly and do not have the means to implement. Our witnesses do not wish to testify in court, because of threats, and indeed so many have lost their lives. Indeed our whole system, does not work, and we all suffer, the comments above are very valid.

bash gul | 9 years ago | Reply Then why make laws. Rickshaws and taxis ply without meters. Any Body Can Drive (ABCD). Its so simple, let them drive without licence, the traffic police can now easily grease their palms. Let people own guns without licence too. Why all of a sudden there is a rush at the licencing offic? It shows that so many drivers were driving without valid licences. The bikes of underage riders should be confiscated.

Sam | 9 years ago | Reply So basically life only worth 500? If Unlicensed individual hits or kills someone in an accident, who's fault will be that?

Reader | 9 years ago | Reply I think this is an incentive to "earn" for our poor policemen. Just think, two "victims" of blind justice will fetch Rs.1000/-. Our citizens are tough customers, getting even Rs500/- out will be quite a challenge even for the toughest Rambo type Policeman. If there is pillion on a bike, than the work of the single police will become twice as hard. Should be interesting to watch a live tete-a-tete take place.

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