IG orders impounding vehicles of drivers without licences

Sindh police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon on Wednesday ordered taking action against those who do not have driving licences and seizing their vehicles. He gave the order during a meeting he chaired at the Central Police Office to discuss traffic rules violations and the issuance of driving licences.

Traffic, Licensing & Training DIG Iqbal Dara apprised the meeting about the Driving Licence Branch’s facility of online training, issuance of learners licences and international driving permits, and renewal of non-commercial licences.

DIG Dara said that the means of providing online driving licence facilities are being widely publicised through newspapers, public places and social media platforms. He said that according to the traffic police’s research, most motorcyclists do not have licences, and they often meet dangerous and sometimes fatal accidents due to ignoring the rules and precautionary measures.

Citing the report, he said 28,685 tickets were issued in Karachi for various violations of traffic rules this year, of which 12,548 were issued to motorcyclists. Over 35 programmes have been organised at schools, colleges, public places, and government, law enforcement and other institutions in the city to spread awareness about traffic rules, he added.

He pointed out that the Sindh police have a massive awareness campaign on FM radio, in print media, and on electronic media and social media platforms. He said that every SP traffic office has an accident assessment unit, whose job is to determine the traffic situation on the roads and the reasons for possible accidents.

Karachi police chief Javed Alam Odho stressed the need to involve all communities and stakeholders living in society in the awareness campaign through the media at public level to prevent traffic accidents and rules violations.

He directed that the area police, including SHOs, would ensure all support and assistance to the traffic police in the necessary traffic matters and measures, while the traffic police would also ensure the implementation of orders such as avoiding unnecessary general checking on the roads at all levels.

He said citizens who do not carry driving licences while travelling should be exempted but warned to keep their licences with them, adding that online records must be checked in case of unavailability of the licences.

He also said that driving training and obtaining a licence has also been made mandatory for every trained police official at the police training centres, while the process of getting a driving licence has been very easy with online issuance.