A driver polishes his rickshaw at a parking lot — Photo from APP/File.

PESHAWAR The Peshawar High Court has ordered the traffic police to start a crack down against the rickshaws that lack a permit, DawnNews reported.

The Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, Tariq Pervez Khan ordered the police to impound all rickshaws without permits after taking suo moto notice of the appalling traffic situation in the city.

Following the order, traffic police have impounded hundreds of rickshaws and a drive to stop thousands of others continues — according to some estimates there are over 35 thousand rickshaws in the city, 70 per cent of which lack routine paperwork.

Experts maintain that there are 43 thousand public transport vehicles in the city out of which more than 30 thousand vehicles lack permits.

'Permits have been issued to five thousand Rickshaws while 30 thousand rickshaws are plying on the roads without permit. That is why Chief Justice has taken the notice. Whoever has the permit, we let them go but who doesn't have it, we make a report and send it to the court,' Akhtar Gul, the traffic SHO told DawnNews.

On the other hand, Rickshaw owners say their sole source of income has been taken away from them and their families are suffering.

'They have impounded my vehicle for the last 10 days, I have children what will they do?' said Riaz Khan, a driver interviewed by DawnNews.

In the previous government, a Rozgar Scheme was launched under which four-stroke rickshaws were provided on installments to limit unemployment and the rising level of air pollution.

However many rickshaws sold under the scheme have also been impounded as they also did not have a permit. Rickshaw operators say because they are not earning, they are unable to pay their monthly installments, and their rickshaws are confiscated.

'I haven't refused to pay the remaining installments but the bank should ensure us that the traffic police will not stop us. Its been one week my rickshaw is standing here. The bank charges us Rs. 300 for not paying installment on time,' said Abdus Salam, a rickshaw driver.

Police officials say only five thousand Rickshaws will be allowed to operate in Peshawar, while the remaining rickshaws will be asked to move to other cities of the province where they will be provided with permits.

People say the police have impounded thousands of Rickshaws in previous crackdowns to reduce traffic and curtail pollution in the city but released them after some time. Many people in Peshawar fear the same will happen this time around as well.