LAHORE: The National Highways & Motorways Police have increased the challan ratio up to three times on both national highways and motorways across the country in the last three months or so, leaving friendly policing and awareness briefings aside.

The increasing ratio of challans has been the result of the ‘directive’ of the force chief and all senior field officers are encouraging patrol officers not to spare any motorist for even minor violation.

Sources told Dawn that the authorities had even started punishing and transferring patrol officers to remote areas for not fulfilling challan targets aimed at increasing government and departmental revenues. They said the force morale, which was already down owing to depleted resources and absence of welfare steps including non-promotions, had further ebbed after patrol officers started behaving aggressively with motorists and issuing challans with specific ‘targets’.

Sources said challan target per officer had reached up to 100 challans on national highways witnessing heavy traffic volumes and up to 12 challans on motorways.

“Today I have been directed by my superiors to issue not less than 100 fine tickets and I have to do it in my eight-hours duty to avoid any show-cause notice or transfer. I shall issue fine tickets mostly to those who do not use seat belts,” said a patrol officer who wished not to be named.

The officer, who is posted at the national highway, said it appeared that the helping force had turned into a challaning force in the last three months.

Another patrol officer on the motorway said job stress on field officers due to directions to issue maximum challans had changed their attitude towards road users. He said as he was doing patrol duty on the motorway, two patrol officers driving one vehicle were bound to issue not less than 20 challans in one shift. The officer calculated increase in fine tickets on a monthly basis, saying the number of fine tickets had been increased from 2,000 to 5,000 in his beat.

He said senior officers had also lured field officers for choice postings in their respective beats in case of maximum challans daily.

The officer said due to stress patrol officers were even issuing fine tickets to motorists for minor violations against which they frequently used to warn and brief motorists in past.

This reporter during his road journey from Lahore to Multan and Bahawalpur and back a few days ago witnessed most of the time that the NH&MP officers were standing alongside the highways and issuing fine tickets to road users especially truckers and vehicles carrying goods.

The patrolling on the road was not up to the mark and mostly vehicles were found parked along the road.

NH&MP Inspector General Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema said he never used the word of challan in any meeting or darbar but he strictly directed his field force to enforce traffic laws without any fear in order to bring the NH&MP on a par with international traffic standards.

He said the NH&MP would not tolerate violation of any traffic law. Mr Cheema claimed that increased traffic enforcements had resulted in 70pc improvement in lane discipline.

He said awareness campaigns and briefings to road users especially at toll plazas were also continuing with enhanced efforts.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd , 2014