Date for renewing driving licenses extended for a month

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal has extended date for renewing driving licenses for private vehicles (motorcycle and cars) drivers for one month.

Earlier, the DIG Traffic Amir Ahmed Shaikh had given a 15-day time to get their licenses renewed after he had announced the start of a three-phased campaign against all drivers violating traffic laws, specifically those driving without a license, from Monday (today).

Today, hundreds of people rushed to the driving license department offices, where they could be seen queued outside to get their licenses renewed.

Police resorted to baton-charge on the people when the situation went out of control in Nazimabad office.

On the other hand, DIG Driving License branch Aftab Pathan has said that offices will remain operational during 9:00AM to 5:00PM and to facilitate the masses offices will remain open on Saturday and Sunday as well.

The first and second phases, according to the DIG, would focus on public transport vehicles plying the roads without taximeters.

DIG Shaikh strictly added that drivers who did not have their licenses would be jailed under section 3 & 99 of Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965. The driving licenses, he added, would be verified on the spot through an SMS.

With respect to taxis and rickshaws, he said that traffic officials would be directed to check whether meters installed in the vehicles were functional or not.

These specific directives, he stated were being given keeping in consideration the rising number of complaints received from the public, of rickshaw and taxi drivers not using the meters, and refusing to give passengers a ride if they asked for them to use the meters.

However, following the expiration of the deadline, the drivers would also be jailed if found without a driving license, he added.

A special desk for issuing licenses was requested to be set up at the licenses department, by the DIG in order to accommodate and facilitate a maximum number of applicants.

Personnel from the traffic branch were also deployed at the licenses branch for a speedy process.

The senior traffic officials also claimed to have written a letter to the provincial government calling for it to make it mandatory for buyers to show their driving licenses before purchasing a vehicle.