Ban imposed on fancy number plates, pressure horns in Karachi

• Sale, purchase and use of hooters, sirens and bar lights also banned.
• Development comes following SHC orders on Dec 24.
• Violators to be booked under Section 188 PPC.

Buying and selling of pressure horns, unauthorised/fancy number plates, and tinted glasses for vehicles has been banned — under Section 144 (6) CrPC — for two months in Karachi, a notification issued by the city's commissioner office said on Thursday.

The ban has also been imposed on the sale and use of unauthorised hooters, sirens, and revolving bar lights.

The development comes following the Sindh High Court's (SHC) orders directing the Karachi DIG traffic to publish a public notice in newspapers for the removal of said articles from vehicles.

The notification was signed by Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon who, in compliance with the SHC's order, said that a complete ban will be imposed on the sale, purchase and use of the aforementioned articles in the port city starting from December 31, 2022 to March 1, 2023.

A decision has also been taken to conduct a large-scale crackdown against those violating the ban.

The city's commissioner has directed the deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner to ensure the implementation of the prohibition.

All the DCs have been instructed to immediately file cases against all those guilty of a violation.

"The Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Karachi Division are hereby authorised to take action against the violators in coordination with the concerned Senior Superintendent of Police, Karachi and get the violators booked under section 188 PPC in writing in the concerned Police Stations against the violation of this notification," the notification read.

Last week, the provincial top court's division bench issued the orders after hearing a petition against heavy vehicles plying on roads of residential areas of the city during the day.

The division bench — headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar — asked the DIG traffic what action had been taken against the issue and directed him to publish a public notice in leading newspapers within three days against the use, sale and purchase of the items. The bench sought a compliance report from the officer in this regard.