IN recent months, the Traffic Police force in Punjab has increasingly been perceived not as a public service institution meant to regulate traffic and ensure road safety, but as a revenue-generating force. Ordinary citizens are frequently stopped and fined for minor violations, while vehicles belonging to influential individuals and VIPs are often seen moving freely without scrutiny. Such selective enforcement not only undermines public trust, but also creates the impression that laws are meant only for the weak and not for the powerful.

Another issue is the sharp increase in driving licence fee and fines. For a country where a large portion of the population belongs to the lower and middle-income groups, the amounts are simply exorbitant and unaffordable.

While traffic rules and regulations are necessary for discipline and safety, they must be realistic and implemented with a human approach. Extremely strict rules, combined with heavy fines for minor mistakes, place an unfair burden on the common man already struggling with inflation and rising cost of living. There is also a broader governance issue.

The facilities, road infrastructure and public transport systems available to citizens are far removed from the standards of developed countries, but traffic laws and penalties are increasingly being designed on similar strict models. Laws should be implemented according to ground realities, not in isolation.

What is needed here is a balanced and humane approach. Licence fee should be rationalised, minor violations should be dealt with through warnings rather than heavy fines, and the vehicle fitness system should be simplified and transparent. Most importantly, the traffic police must return to its original purpose: facilitating smooth traffic flow, guiding citizens, and ensuring safety — not functioning primarily as a revenue collection agency.

Ghulam Mujtaba
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2026