LAHORE- The Lahore High Court has issued a directive to the police to apprehend the individuals found operating cars and motorcycles without a valid license.
The decision comes in the aftermath of a tragic car accident in Lahore’s Defence area, where six lives were lost.
Justice Ali Zia Bajwa passed the order on a petition challenging Section 302 in the FIR against the accident.
During the hearing, Chief Traffic Officer and SSP Operations appeared on behalf of the Punjab government. Justice Ali Zia Bajwa expressed concerns about the prevalence of driving without licenses in Lahore.
How many vehicles are without valid license?
According to the Chief Traffic Officer, out of 7.3m registered vehicles in Lahore, only 1.3 million individuals possessed valid driving licenses.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa remarked on the common practice of individuals without licenses making false claims such as being the judge’s relative, a lawyer, or a journalist. He sought information on the actions taken against those driving without licenses, particularly in light of the recent Defence incident.
The Chief Traffic Officer reported that legal action had been taken against 919 individuals for driving without licenses, and in the past year, 1.4m individuals were issued learner’s licenses.
The police, in their response, indicated that the accused, Irfan, did not possess a valid driving license. As a result, the decision was made to arrest the vehicle owner, leading to a night raid at Irfan’s father’s residence.
The court emphasized that vehicles cannot be registered without a valid license, questioning the non-implementation of the Lahore High Court’s 2018 decision.
In a significant ruling, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa ordered the arrest of individuals found driving cars and motorcycles without a license.
He underscored the importance of strict enforcement, stating that no one should drive without a license, and called for increased police presence at intersections and signals.
The court also stressed the need for decisive action against underage drivers of both cars and motorcycles.
