Over 100 arrested as Karachi traffic police cracks down on commuters going wrong way
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More than 100 people, including two policemen and employees of the Sindh Chief Minister House, were arrested in Karachi on Tuesday as the traffic police began taking action against people travelling on the wrong side of the road.
Another 7,000 commuters were challaned as the police treated elderly violaters and violaters with families leniently by issuing tickets to them, Additional IG Karachi Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh said.
According to a traffic police spokesperson, over Rs930,000 was fined in total during today's action.
The crackdown began after AIG Shaikh ordered that commuters travelling wrong-way be arrested and their vehicles seized.
Among the first offenders caught as part of the action were two police officials, who were arrested for driving on the wrong side near Zainab Market. They were shifted to Artillery Maidan police station.
The arrests are being made under Section 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) of the Pakistan Penal Code, traffic police officials told DawnNewsTV.
They said action against wrong-way goers was started in all areas after the Karachi police chief issued directions to ensure implementation of traffic rules and regulations.
Later in the evening, AIG Shaikh issued orders for the release of all violators after seeking assurance that they will "never violate [the] law again".
Two motorcyclists while talking to DawnNewsTV said they were forced to drive wrong-way because there were no u-turns on their route.
AIG Shaikh had on Monday visited several busy roads of the metropolis, and in a meeting with police officers decided to implement a plan to improve the flow of traffic on major thoroughfares.
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On DawnNews
Comments (42) Closed
Oct 09, 2018 06:51pm
Great move by the traffic police in the wonderful city of Karachi to catch two police officials, going in the wrong direction on the road near the famous Zainab market, Saddar area. In fact, law must be the same for everybody irrespective of his or her status, position, color, race, gender, ethnicity, age, family background, influence, class, creed and association, as demonstrated by the Karachi traffic police. Well done and keep it up.
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Oct 09, 2018 06:53pm
Good action. If COPs are violating traffic rules then we cannot blame public. Punish these offenders swiftly.
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Oct 09, 2018 07:07pm
The AIG's orders are commendable but do not do justice to the travellers who have become accustomed to driving on the wrong way which has become a norm for the past many years. It will be more appropriate to warn the public and give them some time to mend their ways, this being a week or so at the most. That the traffic police encourages wrong driving is evident from just one example. The crossing on Altaf Hussain (this person was the first Muslim Editor of Dawn) Road and Shahrah-e-Liaquat is busy through out the day. There are two sign boards at the crossing going towards Denso Hall which warn the drivers that any one entering from this side will be fined Rs. One Thousand as this is a one way street for traffic coming from the Denso Hall side only. You can always find two or three policemen standing here directing traffic which gets choked at this point. No one asks any one, whether on a bike or car, not to enter as it is a one way street. There are two or three policemen stationed on the Denso Hall side too. They are least bothered by any one coming all through the wrong way upto where the road meets M. A. Jinnah Road if he is driving a bike. If a car is coming either they challan it or money changes pockets the going rate for which is rupees five hundred per car. Every one in the police department is happy as the challans show the efficiency of the police and the money collected otherwise makes the policemen happy. This is just one spot. Multiply it with thousands and you can work out the figures of earnings (non-taxable) which is earned daily by the Karachi traffic police alone.
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Oct 09, 2018 07:36pm
motorcycles taken away is very harsh. fine would have suffice.
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Oct 09, 2018 07:37pm
Finally someone got notice of such menace in Karachi streets. Going on the wrong way has become a norm in Karachi streets and this trend was growing day by day. Such traffic violations are normal in Karachi even on main roads such as Shara-e-Faisal, University road, MA Jinnah road etc. people go in wrong way and cause traffic congestion. I hope with the strict enforcement of the law traffic can be normalized. Please keep hard on law violators.
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Oct 09, 2018 07:38pm
Good for Karachi. Traffic violation is everyday practice in Karachi. The law must be observed strictly even by law enforcers.
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Oct 09, 2018 07:43pm
There is no excuse for going on the wrong way.
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Oct 09, 2018 07:57pm
Is it possible for the AIG Karachi to advise how many traffic challans are issued by Karachi traffic daily and on what accounts and the total amounts of challan.What is the amount of the commission paid to traffic police and the % against challan issued.A summarised statement for last one year with number of traffic policemen working in Karachi.
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Oct 09, 2018 08:10pm
Finally, the clean up.
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Oct 09, 2018 08:18pm
Law is being applied. This is the very first basic step in building a good society. Pakistan has good laws but they are never applied or applied selectively.
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Oct 09, 2018 08:24pm
Employees of Dawn themselves flout traffic laws! Many times I've seen them drive from the wrong side to cut through the opening opposite the PSO fuel station. Your habits are enabling KE employees to do the same.
Its shameful that the nation's largest english paper are the very menace that endangers people on the roads by going the wrong way. Its so simple to just turn left, make a U-turn at Shaheen Complex and be on your way. How hard can it be? Is your time more valuable than anyone else's?
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Oct 09, 2018 09:48pm
I hope they start the same drive in Lahore which is in total mess coz of one way breakers
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Oct 09, 2018 10:30pm
Good step taken, traffic rules should be followed at all times.
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Oct 09, 2018 11:30pm
Traffic police cracking down on commuters going wrong way is the best thing to happen on Karachi streets in years.
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Oct 10, 2018 12:12am
Next, Don't take bribes, and let them off.
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Oct 10, 2018 12:16am
Well done!
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Oct 10, 2018 12:16am
Last year at this time in Karachi Pakistan I was thinking of the same step. So carelessly traffic rules are violated in Karachi that one only can wonder if there is a traffic rule in place.
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Oct 10, 2018 12:17am
Thank you. Thank you. It was needed a few years ago. Needs to be implemented strictly for a few months. The public has gone rogue. No patience, knowledge of respect for law at all here. Strictest action to be taken.
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Oct 10, 2018 12:25am
Well done..That is the only way to teach these violators a lesson. Appeal to the Islamabad and Rawalpindi traffic police to do the same...
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Oct 10, 2018 01:15am
Well done. Now breaking traffic lights and removed exhausts on bikes. The noise is just deafening. I live on 26th Street dha which has become a very busy street because of the one way on shamsher. The noise from these bikes is unbearable. Noise pollution has to be tackled also.
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Oct 10, 2018 01:17am
Long overdue
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Oct 10, 2018 01:21am
It is not the severity of the punishment which deters potential offenders; it is the belief that there will be no escape from accountability.
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Oct 10, 2018 01:31am
People going the wrong way should not only be arrested they should also be put in jail for at least three days, as they endanger the lives of the general public.
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Oct 10, 2018 02:29am
Good work. Wrong side drivers/riders should be fined dearly.
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Oct 10, 2018 03:33am
Amazing what has been going on.
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Oct 10, 2018 04:05am
Vehicles should be impounded, motorcycles have become a menace, these people have no regard for anyone's safety including their own, they should be punished.
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Oct 10, 2018 04:26am
Respect the law.
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Oct 10, 2018 04:28am
It's a great start but breaking the traffic law is very much instill in everyone's mind.
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Oct 10, 2018 04:49am
Good move , even gooder as to let them go later , but please do keep record so as to catch habitual offenders . And any money in the treasury is good money . lets hope it doesn't go in wrong pockets .
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Oct 10, 2018 04:51am
Awesome!! Please do something for noisy exhaust event 125 bike is too noisy.
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Oct 10, 2018 04:52am
When I was in Karachi a couple of years back, I took the initiative & started stopping the motor-bikes myself & asking them to turn back. Most of them admitted that were wrong. The problem is nobody cares to tell people that they are doing something wrong.
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Oct 10, 2018 05:41am
Perfect, please impose more strick regulation, we drove in the city of light, things was very fine till 1998, we hardly see wrong way drivers, yes did observe cops for laziness or taking tea money, but after that period what happened? Why no one follows traffic rules? Instead of getting more better we get worst..
We need to ask ourselves how to police yourself.
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Oct 10, 2018 05:52am
Don't blame the commuters, they are only following their leaders in Sindh. And the employees of the Chief Ministers house, those tickets will never be paid, all it'll take is a call from the Chief Ministers office.
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Oct 10, 2018 05:53am
@Ahsan Gul They got a ticket, what more do you want? Life sentence?
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Oct 10, 2018 06:28am
Great job by PTI. This was never done under PMLN or Prev Mushi
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Oct 10, 2018 06:31am
There is no excuse of going wrong way ...in order to improve flow of traffic , motor cycle should be ban on main roads ....
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Oct 10, 2018 07:31am
Very good, long awaited issue is going to be resolved.
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Oct 10, 2018 09:37am
Excellent move! I believe that in order to cover some of the debt, police should raise the fine for traffic offences and have traffic police posted discreetly at locations know to traffic violation choke points. Fining unsuspecting violators is the way to go. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and knowledge of said law is a prerequisite for obtaining driving licences!
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Oct 10, 2018 10:53am
Very good initative but same action need in others cities of country specially in Hyderabad too.
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Oct 10, 2018 03:53pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad police must apply and follow the same rules/laws on themselves.
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Oct 10, 2018 04:19pm
They must be in Jail for at least 3 months, vehicles be towed on their expenses.
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Oct 11, 2018 12:35pm
It seems another Drama of Traffic Police. In morning, I witnessed traffic police facilitating vehicle on wrong-way just beside the Fozia Wahab Bridge Shahra-e-Faisal (Shell Pump) and under the Baloch Bridge at the connecting point of Shaheed Milat Rd from Shahra-e-Faisal.
Its routine practice, people doesn't care even traffic wardens are there. I even seen police and traffic police to practice same.
Traffic Police head must need to first train traffic wardens. I never feel that they really want to take control of traffic.
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