LHC Orders Immediate Arrest of Unlicensed Drivers

Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Ali Zia Bajwa has ordered an immediate crackdown on individuals operating vehicles without valid licenses, stressing that those without proper licenses should be apprehended.

This directive came during a hearing related to a legal protection request from the accused in a tragic accident, where an underage driver, now in custody and under police investigation, caused the death of six family members. The victims were identified as Rukhsana, 52; Anabia, 3; Huzaifa, four months; Muhammad Hasnain, 28; Sajjad, 26; Ayesha, 22.

Expressing concern over the frequency of car accidents, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa described them as profoundly unfortunate incidents.

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The provincial apex court pointed out a significant disparity between the number of vehicles on the road and the issued licenses, noting that there are only 200,000 licenses for every 100,000 vehicles.

The Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) informed the court that there are 7.3 million vehicles on the road, but only 1.3 million drivers possess licenses.

In response to the recent accident, the court sought information on actions taken against unlicensed vehicles and requested the CTO to report on steps taken in the aftermath.

The CTO explained that a crackdown had been initiated in the past three days. However, the court expressed concerns about potential discrimination in enforcing traffic regulations, particularly instances where individuals claim special privileges due to connections.

Justice Bajwa pointed out that such offenses often occur in more affluent areas. The court also inquired about measures taken against individuals allowing their minor children to drive, and the CTO assured that existing laws are enforced, with appropriate actions taken against such cases.