Top traffic cop asked why people with registration papers being challaned

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Saturday directed the Karachi traffic police chief to explain why vehicle owners are being challaned even though they have registration certificates issued to them by the Excise & Taxation Department.

The order came on a petition of one Asim Iqbal who moved the court against the E&T Department not issuing the original number plate for his vehicle as well as the traffic authorities not accepting his registration certificate.

He told the court that the Motor Vehicle Registration Authority is not issuing him with the original number plate for his vehicle despite the fact that he has paid all the taxes.

The petitioner said the excise authorities are delaying the issuance of original number plates because the contractor hired for the purpose has abandoned the agreement. The additional E&T officer informed the court that the department has appointed a new vendor who has started the distribution of number plates.

The SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed the E&T Department to submit the progress report along with the batch number of the plates issued to the public in the next hearing.

The excise officer said the department issues certificates to vehicle owners with the permission to use temporary number plates until such a time their original number plates are issued.

The petitioner said the traffic police are not accepting the registration certificates as well as the temporary number plates and issuing challans to vehicle owners for not having the original number plates.

The bench issued a notice to the traffic DIG with the direction to ensure appearance of his duly authorised officer in court to submit a reply as to why their department has been issuing challans to vehicle owners despite them having registration certificates.

Aurat March

Another petitioner who challenged the scheduled Aurat March in Karachi was directed by the SHC to submit proper information if permission was granted by the south district’s commissioner or deputy commissioner for holding the rally at the Frere Hall.

Petitioner Rubina Qadir Jatoi claimed that it was a matter of record that in the last Aurat March organised by Pax Femina (a coalition of feminist writers) at the Frere Hall, the participants had openly and without any hesitation held placards and banners inscribed with objectionable and obscene statements.

She also claimed that such an act of the participants on the instigation of Pax Femina had not only targeted our social norms but were also against the injunctions of Islam.

She said Pax Femina has again put up the invitation to the March 8 women’s rally on its Facebook page. She claimed that the Aurat March was designed to destroy Pakistan’s family system based on Islamic teachings as well as the social norms deeply rooted in Islamic culture.

She said that every such march, protest or other activity has to be arranged within the confines of the law, adding that no participant of such gatherings could be allowed to roam free with signs reading anti-state, obscene and anti-Islamic statements.

The court was requested to direct the Karachi commissioner and the provincial government not to permit the display of obscene, vulgar and objectionable statements during the March 8 women’s rally.