RECENTLY, the Sindh government has legislated the imposition of heavy penalties on the owners of motor vehicles using their cars without registration. The registration of vehicles has always been a legal requirement, and violators are supposed to face the course of law. What is it that has made the police launch a campaign now?

Karachi traffic police department has a peculiar characteristic. It selects an item, launches a campaign for its enforcement, violators are penalised, and soon the campaign comes to an end. From fancy number plates to tinted glasses and so on, the items keep changing and police campaigns keep getting launched. There is no consistency in the enforcement of traffic laws.

What is even worse is that motorcyclists are completely exempted from following the traffic rules. They are allowed to drive without helmets, break the ‘no entry’ rule, and switch lanes without intimation, causing confusion and chaos on the roads. Rickshaws are being driven without registration number plates. Public buses are not using the designated bus stops. Who will ensure that traffic rules are followed by everyone in the city?

S. Zaki Hasan
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2025