Crackdown against fake number plates, unregistered vehicles begins

Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon said a massive crackdown was being launched across the province on Monday against fake number plates, unregistered vehicles and display of arms.

Talking to journalists at the Sindh Assembly media corner, he stressed that the government does not intend to trouble the people, but it is better for them to follow the SOPs and fix their vehicles themselves.

No one is above the law and it applies to everyone equally, Memon said, adding that those who possess an arms licence can carry their arms in a concealed manner, but no one can display it. He said no one would be allowed to create terror among the citizens by displaying weapons.

In response to a question, he said Imran Khan’s tigers had been given a good offer. He invited the PTI to celebrate their ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek festival’ in Sindh, saying that a pick and drop service would be provided to them. The provincial information minister said PTI MPAs, parliamentarians and supporters should give their names for voluntarily arrest, and if they are reluctant to forward their names to the Sindh government, they should disclose them to media.

He said Khan was disappointed with the Jail Bharo Tehreek as not a single person in Sindh was ready to court arrest. Khan, he said, considers himself a world leader and has a large number of followers and admirers in the UK and the whole world, and he should start a Jail Bharo movement in the UK as well.

He said the PTI leader should start the Jail Bharo Movement there from his home and present his three children for it, but he is only forcing the youth of Pakistan to participate in the court arrest drive.

In response to another question, the minister said that the great leader of Pakistan Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, who gave the constitution and nuclear power to the country, had been judicially murdered.

He said former president Asif Ali Zardari filed a reference in the Supreme Court, seeking justice for Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, but the Supreme Court of Pakistan had no time to initiate a hearing on the reference. The reference was still pending, while suo motu action was taken immediately on small matters, he added.

Memon said that whenever relief had to be given to the “ladlas”, courts were opened at midnight and on Sundays as well. He said the Pakistan Peoples Party had remained the biggest victim of judicial activism. He said the PPP had criticised decisions of the court but never targeted the judiciary. He said the country could not be run in this manner, and it was an alarming situation in the country.

On a question about ongoing digital census, Memon said that the Sindh government would support every such initiative under which the process of the digital census was ensured in a transparent manner. He denied any political disagreement with anyone on this matter.

DIG traffic’s talk

Traffic police chief Karachi Ahmed Nawaz Cheema has said they, with the Sindh excise department, has started a crackdown against violators of traffic rules, including fancy number plates and unregistered vehicles, following the orders of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in this regard.

Talking to The News on Monday, DIG Cheema said a recent meeting held under the chair of the CM had decided to launch a crackdown against motorists using fake registration number plates or plying vehicles of an open letter.

Moreover, a warning message had been sent to the public through media and social media and a one week’s time had been given. He added that last week he had a meeting with the excise department in which they had planned a joint strategy to conduct a crackdown against violators of traffic rules.

Moreover, he said, they had selected 11 spots where personnel from the excise department and traffic police sergeants would work jointly and check vehicles using fake numbers plates or plying on open letters. DIG Cheema said the spots selected were Toba Masjid, DHA, Naurus Chowrangi, Pehlwan Goth near Habib University, the main signal of the PIDC, Malir Cantt Gate-6, Mazar-e-Quaid, near Liaquat National Hospital, Nazimabadm, Eidgah, Clifton and Bath Island, Shafique Morr and Korangi Crossing.

He said the Karachi Traffic Police had led a crackdown against violators in all the seven districts -- South, City, Central, East, Korangi, West and Malir -- in which they had impounded 1,058 vehicles and fined 2,706 motorists, while with an excise team had fined 247 vehicles and impounded 85 vehicles.