TAXILA: Officials of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) Taxila circle have allegedly adopted a novel way to meet the challan target by establishing “nakas” on G.T. Road.

It has been observed that the patrolling officials of NHMP cause traffic congestion by blocking the road just to achieve their shift challan target. The officials park their cars on the spots where traffic gets slow due to the poor condition of the road, especially near the Mughal Garden bridge at Wah and the timber market near Taxila and target trucks and dumpers mostly loaded with stone crush and sand even through the staff of a private contractor of the fine collection unit.

Interestingly, the contractor’s staff while wearing official jackets signal and stop vehicles especially trucks and dumpers and collect fines from them for different ‘violations.’

As per the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), no “naka” could be established on the road on permanent basis. As per SOP, a vehicle or vehicles could be intercepted on suspicious activities and violation of traffic rules.

Inside sources told this correspondent that officials posted in the sector on deputation from various district police departments were least bothered about ensuring smooth flow of traffic and spent one hour per shift at these two points during which they randomly stopped loaded dumpers, trucks and trailers and issued them tickets whether they made any violation or not. The stoppage of a huge number of loaded trailers and dumpers for issuance of tickets not only obstructs smooth flow of traffic but also causes traffic jams on G.T. Road. The sources said that in the past on the observation of the practice by high-ups of the NHMP the officials were suspended after they were found guilty of establishing “naka” on GT Road.

Ghulam Shabbir, a dumper driver, told this reporter that the police officials kept sitting in their cars while employees of the fine collection unit stopped dumpers and trucks and issued them tickets.

“There is mutual understanding between the truck association and NHMP to meet the challan targets in every beat from Peshawar to Rawalpindi and the owners paid us money in advance while transporting consignment to be paid as a fine,” said truck driver Khaista Gul.

He said that he had been driving trucks for the last 15 years and this practice was was in the knowledge of the police department.

Dumpers’ Association President Malik Nisar Khan said the matter had been brought into the notice of higher authorities many times but to no avail. He alleged that the patrolling staff beat up truck and dumper drivers and implicated them in fake cases. He said that the record of the Wah Saddar police station was evident from the fact that any driver raising their voice against the practice was booked for interfering in official matters.

Munnaza Peerzada, the president of an NGO working on human rights, said truck and dumper drivers were mostly uneducated and had no awareness about their rights. She said they also did not know that the staff of the private contractor was not empowered to stop any vehicle.

When contacted, NHMP’s Chief Patrolling Officer for Taxila Nadeem Gul admitted that the patrolling staff had established nakas at two points on GT Road to check “lane violation” by dumpers and trailers. However, he failed to answer why the officials issued tickets randomly to truckers and dumpers whether they were on the wrong lane or not.

However, he agreed that no person, including those hired by the fine collection unit, was allowed to signal any vehicle to stop for a traffic violation. He said people working with the fine collection unit were hired by the private contractor but they had nothing to do with the affairs of the NHMP.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2023