Officers across the city have been told to challan and, in underage cases, impound vehicles as Lahore traffic police prepare a citywide drive. Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Rahim Sherazi’s order covers children at the wheel, people with no licence, missing helmets, one-way breaches and motorcycles with three people on board. A car without a licence will draw Rs5,000, and a motorcycle without a licence Rs2,000 plus impoundment, The Nation reported.
Why the drive is being launched
Sherazi tied the timing to holidays, when children often take motorcycles, cars and rickshaws onto the roads. He described underage driving as a major cause of road accidents and said driving a car or motorcycle while underage was unacceptable. He urged parents to stop allowing their children to drive cars or motorcycles.
The enforcement list is broader than underage driving alone. Officers will also challan people driving without a licence, motorcyclists without helmets, riders who take a one-way road in the wrong direction, and motorcycles carrying three riders. Circle officers have been told to supervise the Lahore traffic police campaign personally.
Fines and when a vehicle can be held
The chief traffic officer set two licence fines. Driving a car without a licence will bring a fine of Rs5,000. Motorcyclists driving without a licence will face a fine of Rs2,000 and impoundment of the motorcycle. He added that driving on a learner’s permit is strictly prohibited.
Where the rider is underage, an impounded motorcycle will be released only after a juvenile driving permit is produced. A first one-way violation will be dealt with by a fine. Repeated one-way violations will lead to a formal case.
Separate action will be taken against motorcyclists carrying three riders, which Sherazi said was meant to support road safety. The Nation included helmetless riding in the crackdown without stating a separate fine.
What parents have been asked to do
Parents who let a child take a motorcycle, car or rickshaw out during a holiday are the people Sherazi addressed directly. His request was that they refrain from allowing children to drive cars or motorcycles. If police stop an underage rider and impound the motorcycle, the release rule he announced requires a juvenile driving permit before the bike is returned.
Licence-centre checkpoints
Sherazi said special checkpoints would be established outside driving licence centres to facilitate motorcyclists who are seeking licences. In his account, the posts are there so riders can obtain a licence while the campaign is running. He stressed that strict enforcement by Lahore traffic police is needed to prevent accidents.
The Nation’s report does not say on which date the citywide checks will start, or how many centres will host a checkpoint. What it does set out are the fines, the impoundment condition, the one-way case rule and the instruction that circle officers supervise the work.
