January 24, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 23, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 23: Hundreds more motorists were held for having tinted glasses, flashlights, blue headlights, sirens, and fancy number plates in their respective vehicles across the metropolis during a campaign launched by the police.

The traffic police had launched a drive against the violation of traffic rules in the city along with the district police and warned motorists to abide by traffic rules and regulations to avoid any unnecessary hassle.

Saddar town police examined 1,359 four-wheelers and 527 two-wheelers during the past three days and registered cases against 74 violators, among them 58 cases were registered against those having tinted glasses in their vehicles.

A total number of 86 people were nabbed, who had been released subsequently on personal bond.

Saddar TPO Sanaullah Abbasi said: “The drive is being carried out without any discrimination and nobody who violates the rules would be spared.”

Similarly, the police nabbed hundreds of people in other towns, including North Nazimabad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulberg, Liaquatabad, and SITE, where the police registered cases against violators. Those arrested included sons and relatives of some influential.

However, it has been observed that the vehicles of some ministers, advisers, secretaries and even the vehicle of the home minister had tinted glasses, which had not been removed so far.

The vehicles of many police officers and other law enforcement agencies also have tinted glasses and government number plates, which have not been removed despite the fact that the chief minister had asked all of the government officials to use genuine number plates.

BAILED OUT: Around 700 people, arrested in the past two days for traffic violation, were bailed out on Monday.

Two judicial magistrates of district South gave bail to the violators, including sons and relatives of many influential people, in the sum of Rs20,000 each.

They were booked and arrested under sections 279 and 171 of the Pakistan Penal Code by Artillery Maidan, Frere, Clifton, Nabi Bukhsh, Saddar and other police stations.

The traffic violators were held mainly for having tinted glasses, flashing or blue headlights, or fancy number plates in their respective vehicles during the recently launched campaign.

The motorists were earlier warned to remove tinted glasses, flashing lights, and blue headlights and fancy number plates as all of these were in violation of traffic rules.

The Section 279 of the PPC reads: “Whoever drives any vehicle, or rides, on any public way in a manner so rash or negligent as to endanger human life, or likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.”