KARACHI: Police resorted to baton-charge on Monday as scores of applicants desperate to apply for or renew driving licences thronged Motor Vehicle Inspection and Driving Licence branches in Clifton and North Nazimabad areas of the city.

Hundreds of people had reached the Clifton, Nazimabad and Korangi driving licence branches to get their licence issued, after DIG-Traffic Dr Amir Sheikh had earlier warned Karachi's drivers to get their licences issued or renewed within the shortest possible time.

He had also said violators could be sent to jail under a provision of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance.

Know more: Karachi traffic police may jail drivers without licence from today

The driving licence Clifton branch was sealed as a crowd of applicants chanted slogans to enter the office. At the Nazimabad branch, police baton-charged applicants to disperse the burgeoning crowd.

Taking notice of the disorder, Sindh Home Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal ordered an extension of one month in the date to get licences issued or renewed. He also ordered an inquiry of the three licence branches.

“For those people who have their driving licences but they do not carry with them, we would give them a chance to bring the document and show to us to get their vehicles released,” DIG-Traffic Dr Amir Sheikh was quoted as saying in a Dawn report.

“Those who do not have licences altogether or have fake ones would face a harsh penalty and imprisonment of up to one month. Their vehicles would also be impounded.”

He claimed that the entire exercise was aimed at streamlining driving on city roads.

While admitting that there would be pressure on driving licence branches in the city after the traffic police’s announcement, the DIG claimed that all arrangements to help a maximum number of applicants had been made.

According to official figures, only 1.2 million people in the metropolis have driving licences; whereas the total number of registered vehicles in Karachi is 3.8m.

How to get a licence made

Procedure to apply for a driving licence with a validity of three or five years is as follows:

• Download and print the Medical Fitness and Drivers Licence Form from the Capital City Police Karachi website's download page.
• Paste two passport size photographs to your medical fitness and application form.
• Attach a copy of your Computerised National Identity Card.
• Attach medical fitness certificate, which will be conducted by a medical doctor at the licencing office.
• Attach your original learners driving permit
• Pay the applicable fee at the nearest post office.
• Buy and study 'The Highway and Motor Code'.
• Arrive at the branch nearest to your area and go to the information desk to get your papers checked.
• Follow the instructions given by the information desk.

How to get a learners licence made

Procedure to apply for a learners licence is as follows:

• Download and print the Medical Fitness and Learners Drivers Licence Form from the Capital City Police Karachi website's
• Paste two passport size photographs to your medical fitness and application form.
• Attach a copy of your Computerised National Identity Card.
• At the Driving Licence Branch, have your papers checked from the information desk.
• Pay the applicable fee at the nearest post office.
• Buy and study 'The Highway and Motor Code'.
• Attain medical fitness certificate from the medical officer.
• Get your photograph taken at the License Branch office.
• Receive your learners licence.

— Source city traffic police website

Fee structure