KARACHI: Newly appointed Inspector General of Sindh Police Ghulam Nabi Memon on Monday reactivated a task force to take action against substances like gutka and mawa and directed the traffic police to focus on ensuring smooth flow of traffic and not to gather in groups near traffic signals or intersections only to stop motorists for issuing challans.

The IGP, who assumed his office on Sunday, issued the directives to the traffic police while chairing a meeting at the Central Police Office.

His directive to traffic police appears to be in the wake of recent complaints by citizens regarding traffic officials who were preying on commuters by issuing challans on one pretext or other.

In his earlier stint as IGP, Mr Memon had expressed annoyance over the traffic police’s practice of issuing hundreds of challans to citizens on a daily basis and declared that traffic police were not for ‘revenue generation’ purposes.

New police chief assumes office; reactivates task force against mawa and gutka

Talking to Dawn, newly posted DIG-Traffic Ahmed Nawaz Cheema said that his predecessor had focused more on issuing traffic challans to improve traffic situation but it did not bring positive outcome. Instead, the citizens’ complaints increased, he said.

He said that with very limited human resource, the traffic police’s focus should be on managing traffic flow and only those violators should be taken to task whose traffic violations tended to disturb the traffic flow.

The DIG said he had ordered the traffic police to engage in ensuring smooth flow of traffic.

‘54 of city’s 171 traffic signals functional’

IGP Memon was informed in the meeting that out of total 171 traffic signals, only 54 were functioning.

On that, he sought detailed recommendations to be sent to the Sindh government for approval so that the responsibility of Traffic Engineering Bureau should be formally given to the traffic police for repair and maintenance of traffic signals.

The IG also directed installations of cameras and armed policemen at traffic light signals to prevent crimes and violation of traffic rules.

He also said that some portion of money generated through traffic challans should be reserved for repair and maintenance of those cameras.

He also directed to prevent over-speeding, dangerous driving and ensuring use of helmets by motorcyclists.

Mr Memon warned the traffic police to stop groups of officers issuing challans on roads; otherwise a strict disciplinary action would be taken against them.

DIG Cheema told Dawn that traffic signals were not working properly and when they were repaired, drug addicts tended to steal cable/machinery from them. Therefore, he said that the IG directed for installations of cameras to prevent theft of cables/machinery of the traffic signals.

He said it was the responsibility of the Traffic Engineering Bureau but it lacked a budget. Therefore, it had been proposed by the traffic police that some share of money generated through traffic challans should be given to the Traffic Engineering Bureau by the Sindh government for the repair and maintenance of the signals.

No traffic challan from 5pm to Iftar

DIG Cheema stopped traffic police from issuing traffic fines from 5pm to Iftar in order to ensure smooth flow of traffic during evening peak hour.

He issued such directives while addressing the officers at the Sindh Boys Scouts Auditorium.He said that any person driving along with his family should be issued a warning in case of any traffic violation.He asked the policemen to focus on preventing wrong-way driving as it not only caused tragic accidents but also disrupted traffic flow.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2024