KARACHI: Condemning the Karachi traffic police for sending violators of traffic laws to prison, the City Council demanded of the provincial government on Monday that violators not be put behind bars.

The resolution to condemn the traffic police was among total 12 different resolutions adopted by the house.

Opposition member Mohammed Junaid Mukati, belonging to the Jamaat-i-Islami, moved a resolution demanding the provincial government not to put traffic violators behind bars.

He said that the violators should be fined, but sending them to prison for a petty traffic violation was sheer cruelty.

He and other council members strongly condemned the Karachi traffic police chief who issued orders for the arrest of traffic violators and registration of FIRs against them.

Sindh govt asked not to arrest traffic violators; PTI joins treasury benches

The opposition members said that worn-out, old public vehicles were plying on the city roads without proper fitness certificates under the nose of the traffic police and most of their drivers did not have valid driving licences. “Traffic police hardly take any actions against them”, a one council member remarked.

They said that the controversial directives of the city traffic authorities regarding booking and arrest of traffic violators had only enabled traffic cops to mint money from the people.

No fuel for bikers without helmet

The house also called upon the provincial government to ensure through some law or regulation that motorcyclists without safety helmet not be provided fuel by the fuel distribution agencies and petrol pumps.

The demand for stopping provision of petrol to the bikers without helmet was made through a resolution tabled by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan councillor Mohammed Hanif Soorti.

Another council member said that the traffic police was imposing a Rs1,000 fine on bikers without helmet.

“Traffic police might fine the violators that hefty amount, but they should be given helmets out of the fined money,” he suggested.

KMC gets Rs10bn from Centre

City Mayor Wasim Akhtar presided over the council’s session, which was also attended by Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Saif-ur-Rehman.

The mayor informed the house that a sum of Rs10 billion had been received from the federal government for development works in Karachi.

He said that the work had already been started and this was due to the efforts of all members of the council.

“The projects which have been initiated now include the construction of one flyover each at the Sakhi Hassan Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi and KDA Chowrangi along with procurement of equipment worth Rs2bn for the fire brigade,” he added.

The mayor said that at he was personally thankful to Prime Minister Imran Khan for releasing the amount for the city and for showing interest in awarding more uplift projects for the city.

“These flyovers will [be] complete in March 2019,” he added.

The mayor said that he could not initiate any project worth more than Rs20 million, but the people expected that he could announce mega projects.

During the meeting, nine resolutions were passed unanimously and three were approved by a majority vote.

Ownership for Pakistan Quarters residents demanded

In a resolution approved unanimously, the federal government was asked to give ownership rights to the residents of Pakistan Quarters. The council also condemned the way the residents were treated by the police.

Through another resolution it was demanded that honoraria be given to members of the City Council who were elected on reserved seats including labour, youth and women councillors.

The council also approved a resolution regarding improvement of Budhan Goth Nullah, Sher Mohammad Village Nullah, improvement of Shipowners College North Nazimabad and making the flour and ghee mills owners abide by health rules.

Other resolutions included the approval of a laboratory test fee and charges in the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, expenditures on the procurement of machinery for the removal of encroachments, and announcement of proposed fee for the Landhi Sports Complex.

Opposition leader Karamullah Waqasi, Arif Khan Advocate, Hanif Soorti, Amanullah Afridi, Junaid Mukati, Sahib Khan Jaskani, Akbar Shah Hashmi, Tajuddin and others also expressed their views during the proceedings.

Earlier, the council members belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf joined the treasury benches and announced that they had joined hands with the mayor for the betterment and development of the city.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2018