IT is good to know that Karachi traffic police have launched a drive against wrong side driving. Initially, they booked 65 people, including two policemen for violating this rule.

In Karachi, traffic violations are checked only by launching campaigns; be it driving motorcycles without helmets, vehicles on roads without number plates (including AFR plates), tinted window glasses, parking in ‘no parking’ areas, pressure horns, special beam lights, and mobile phone use.

The only violation which is religiously checked round the year is breaking the traffic lights, that too if manned by a traffic policeman.

After the end of the ‘drive’, which is of course of a very short duration, it is business as usual.

A violation of traffic rules is always a crime. Why do traffic police wait for a ‘drive’ against such violations and do not act throughout the year?

Apart from the people using AFR number plates, dealers or the showroom owners should also be penalised for releasing vehicles without proper registration.

S. Zaki Hasan
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018