By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) issued 6, 63,193 fine tickets worth Rs.18,19,22,000 to road users on violation of traffic rules during the year 2020, a police spokesman said.
According to the details, 23,884 vehicles were fined for having tinted glass, 5,366 for having fancy (non-pattern) number plates while 32,292 fine tickets were issued to motorists for not fastening seat belts, 13,299 for using mobile phones during driving, 1,911 for under-age driving and 99,902 motorcyclists for riding on bikes without helmets.
Similarly, 22,454 tickets were issued over lane violation,16,390 for violating traffic signals,1,27,929 for careless driving, 1053 for having defective lights, 6,447 for driving on one-way, 531 for driving on wrong side and 10,916 for driving without licenses. Likewise, 22,454 for lane violation, 490 drivers of public service vehicles for misbehaving with passengers, 6331 for route violation, 6556 for driving vehicles without route permits, 7,603 for parking near no-parking boards, 75,384 for overloading, 1012 for over speeding, 1993 for wrong parking at bus stops, 2897 for parking vehicles at zebra crossing, 1085 for having pressure horns, 4599 for involvement in risky driving, 16,380 over violation of traffic signals, 1,928 for amateur driving, 26,562 for taking wrong turn and 168 smoke emitting vehicles were fined during this period.
The ITP’s personnel also fined 657 VIPs during the current year including parliamentarians, diplomats and bureaucrats. The VIPs fined during the ongoing year included 14 Senators, 38 MNAs, 16 MPAs, 207 government officers, 89 foreign diplomats, 113 army officials, 47 judiciary officers, 55 journalists and 24 police officers among others.
While reviewing this report, SSP (Traffic) Farrukh Rasheed has appreciated it and said that vigorous campaign of ITP was launched as per directions of IGP Islamabad Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar to create awareness among citizens about traffic rules.
The focus areas of this campaign was elimination of tinted glasses from vehicles, use of non-pattern number plates and curbing practice of over-speeding as well as lane violation, driving motorbikes without helmets, silencers as well as one-wheeling. He said that ITP is taking action against those using un- authorized number plates or LED lights on their vehicles and special squads have been constituted to check this practice. As par directions of IGP Islamabad Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar, he said that ITP personnel has been directed to ensure implementation on traffic rules and regulation irrespective of status and rank and demonstrate patience and politeness while issuing traffic violation tickets to the road users.
He said that ITP is utilizing all available resources to facilitate the general public. He has appealed the citizens to follow rules and use number plates issued by Excise and Taxation Office. The personnel of the force issue traffic violation tickets not as a punitive measure but the purpose is to ensure safe road environment in the Capital and secure the lives of the people, the SSP Traffic maintained.
