KARACHI, Jan 24: A significant number of motorists have voluntarily taken off tinted glasses from their vehicles following a campaign against dark glasses, sirens and fancy number-plates carried out by the police in Saddar and Clifton towns; however, ministers, advisors and significant number of police vehicles are still enjoying dark glasses in their official cars.
A motorist told Dawn on Tuesday that he went to the Plaza auto market to get the tinted glasses in his car removed. A sizable number of people were already present there for the same purpose, he added.
On the directives of DIG Operations Mushtaq Shah, drive against dark glasses and hooters, coloured head-lights and fancy registration number was also carried in rest of towns by the police on Tuesday.
However, in Jamshad Town, police started drive during the evening rush hours on Shahrah-i-Qaideen which resulted in a traffic jam, people complained.
Sources in the police department said that campaign kicked off, following kidnapping of a girl in the limits of Darakshan police station. After the incident, the police raided different places in the Hyderabad and interior of Sindh to recover the girl. However, the prime accused in the case has managed to flee to Malaysia, sources said.
In recent kidnapping cases in the city, vehicles with dark glasses and hooters were used by suspects, said a senior police officer.
During the last three days, over 700 people spent time in police lockups for driving vehicles with dark glasses.
On Monday night, SHO Clifton nabbed Fareedullah Jamali, the son of former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali, for driving his vehicle with dark glasses.
TPO Clifton said: “We are sustaining immense pressure after initiating this drive, but we are carrying it out without any discrimination.”
TPO Saddar Sanaullah Abbasi said: “The drive is being carried out without any discrimination and no one violating the rules would not be spared.”
Since late Monday night, 55 FIRs were registered for using tinted glasses in vehicles in the Saddar Town alone.
Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui on Monday issued directives to Sindh IGP Jehangir Mirza to ensure action against the vehicles violating traffic regulations, adds APP.
He called for action against those vehicles plying with the identical number plates besides taking to task those with fake number plates or using “Applied for Registration” plates. He stressed the officials to check all types of traffic irregularities to ensure supremacy of law and provision of facilities to the people.
Rauf Siddiqui directed police to take prompt and strict legal action against the drivers and owners of vehicles violating the traffic regulations. He warned that action would be taken against the police personnel showing negligence in this regard.
