RAWALPINDI: Police have intensified the inspection of public service vehicles following the accident in Kahuta that claimed 26 lives, resulting in 282 vehicles being impounded, 23 cases registered against public service drivers and 2,277 vehicles challaned.

A spokesman for police said that following the instructions of City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani, checking of fitness, route permits and licences of public service vehicles was continuing.

He said that 282 unfit public service vehicles were impounded and 2,277 challaned with fines of over 2.4 million imposed for violation of law.

Police said that legal action was taken against 135 drivers for driving without a licence. The licences of 21 drivers found guilty of negligence have been cancelled while 23 cases registered against drivers and owners of public service vehicles.

The CPO said all steps were being taken to ensure safe travel on public service vehicles.

As part of the ongoing campaign, the travelling time of vehicles is also being checked to keep track of speeding, the CPO said, adding legal action will be ensured against those who endanger the lives of citizens. Action will also be taken against vehicle owners and managers guilty of negligence. The special squad of the city traffic police has also been ensuring checking of vehicles at the bus terminals.

A special awareness campaign has also been launched for the awareness of citizens and drivers to ensure fitness of the public service vehicles.

Woman commits suicide

Meanwhile, a woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself with a piece of rope tied to the ceiling of her house in the Airport Housing Society on Thursday.

Police said the woman, aged 30 to 32 years and daughter of a retired head constable, allegedly hanged herself with a rope tied to the ceiling of her house.

Azhar Iqbal ASI, who was leading investigation into the case, told Dawn that the suicide victim was a patient of hypertension which could be the cause of her suicide.

He said the incident came to light when her husband returned home after picking up his children from school. As he found his wife hanging, he called the emergency police 15. “On viewing the CCTV affixed in the house, it emerged as a suicide case,” the IO said.

Police said the victim’s family did not want to conduct a postmortem.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024