LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday turned down a request of Lord Mayor retired Col Mubashir Javed for reducing the amount of fine being imposed on motorcyclists and auto-rickshaw drivers for violation of one-way traffic rule on the city roads.

During the hearing of smog and pollution related petitions, the mayor requested the court to review its order regarding imposition of Rs2,000 fine for traffic violations, especially on motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers.

He said a rickshaw driver hardly earned Rs700 or so in a day, terming imposition of heavy fines on the rickshaw drivers and the motorcyclists a harsh decision.

The mayor pointed out that a woman riding a motorcycle with her son on the Canal Road burst into tears when a traffic warden issued them a fine ticket of Rs2,000.

“The woman did not even have Rs200,” said Mr Javed, asking the court to review the earlier direction purely on compassionate grounds.

Justice Shahid Karim, however, rejected the assertion of the mayor that the fine was excessive and exorbitant. The judge observed that a collective effort was needed to control the environment woes.

The judge also directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to spread awareness about smog amongst the masses.

However, the judge warned the provincial government against using its name in the public awareness campaign.

The judge adjourned the hearing till Dec 16 and directed the government to take punitive measures against industrial emissions and the people involved in burning of crop waste and garbage.

The judge had on Nov 19 ordered the city traffic police to impose a minimum fine of Rs2,000, especially on the violation of one-way rule on roads by the motorists.

Car owner fined: The city traffic police on Tuesday imposed a fine to the tune of Rs80,400 on a car owner, who had allegedly committed 166 traffic violations in the city.

The car owner had jumped traffic signals 142 times, a serious violation involving risks for the driver himself, as well as others using road.

A spokesperson for the city traffic police said the car owner was a resident of Islamabad and used to travel to Lahore to see his relatives.

On Tuesday, he said, a warden stopped the car owner, traveling along with his family, at a signal in Nawankot area to randomly check his vehicle’s status and found 166 rule violations.

On being questioned, the driver said he had come from Islamabad to inquire after a patient admitted to a Lahore hospital and requested not to impound the car.

The warden imposed Rs80,400 fine and seized the original registration book of his car.

The warden, he said, let the driver go on an assurance that he won’t commit any traffic violation in future.

The spokesperson said 17 special teams of wardens have been fielded with ‘special handsets’ carrying record of the vehicles plying on the city roads.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2021