May 9, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 8: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday directed the police to discharge their duties with honesty and discourage VIP culture in the country. Speaking at the annual award ceremony of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) at the prime minister’s secretariat, he said the government was committed to changing the police culture with friendly one, adding that police all over the country would be upgraded soon.

The prime minister said traffic police had to play a vital role in traffic management and the government was working to strengthen and improve the force to bring down accident rates and ensure public safety besides decreasing crime.

He said keeping in view increase in traffic flow on highways due to sustained economic progress, the government had decided to expand motorway police and hand over other major roads to it for proper traffic control.

Mr Aziz said keeping in view the excellent performance of the motorway police, the government had also decided to give them forty weighing stations throughout the country besides giving them ambulance services for providing better services to humanity.

He said billions of rupees had been provided to the National Highway Authority to improve, rehabilitate and construct new highways and motorways to meet future requirements.

He announced to hand over traffic system at coastal highway to the motorway police and asked them to recruit local people.

He also announced to provide land to the motorway police in Islamabad for construction of its headquarters and police lines.

About 200 vehicles are being registered in Islamabad daily, he said, adding that the government was providing resources to the Capital Development Authority for building underpasses, interchanges and road widening.