PESHAWAR, Aug 24: The NWFP government has launched a computerised driving licences system with a view to curbing rash driving and reducing traffic jams in the city.

“The new system has four security features that would lead to suspension or cancellation of incences of drivers indulging in traffic violation,” said AIG traffic Imtiaz Altaf.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, he said the new system had been introduced in Peshawar on the pilot basis and would be replicated soon in the province.

He said that the new system had been introduced in collaboration with the department of science and technology and information technology at the cost of Rs10million.

He said that previously drivers of commercial vehicles frequently violated traffic rules because the owners paid the penalties.

Under the new system, violation of traffic would be inserted into the chip of their computerised driving licences and they would be cancelled or suspended when they cross certain limit of violations.

The system had only been introduced in Islamabad.

The National Police Bureau was working on a proposal to launch the system in the whole country with the collaboration of the Japanese government. “Once that is done, a central national data base would be established on the pattern of the National Database Registration Authority,” he said.

He said that the new licence would also carry information, such as eye colour and blood group of license-holders, besides signature and thumb impression that would help in case of medical emergencies.

The new lincence would be acceptable at the international level and would issue under the one-window system for periods of three and five years.

“We are planning to put in place facilities for medical check-up and depositing of fee by applicants in the traffic headquarters and issue the licences the same day,” he added.

IT director Saifur Rehman Usmani said that information technology had assumed significance in the world.

He said previously the drivers used to get new licences from another district after the cancellation of the old ones in one district.

“Now, a driver will not be in position to get another licences because a centralised database of all districts would be established in Peshawar,” he added.

The new system will be integrated with the car tracking system and geographical information system with the passage of time that would help curtail the incidents of vehicle snatching.

He said that traffic violations would get recorded on the readable chip with radio frequency at the computerised system that would drastically slash the incidences of violation of traffic rules.

SP headquarters Jaffar Khan said that amendments would be incorporated into the Motor Vehicles Ordinance in the shape of a bill to give legal cover to penalties.