Sindh govt to back amendments to motor vehicles law, says CS

Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah on Tuesday made the assurance that the provincial government would fully support the proposed amendments to the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, as they aim to address growing traffic concerns and promote safer road practices.

Shah chaired a meeting at the Central Police Office to discuss traffic law enforcement measures, during which the amendments were reviewed, and strategies were discussed to enhance road safety measures, streamline traffic enforcement, and ensure the timely implementation of the new regulations.

A major proposal discussed during the meeting was reducing the vehicle registration period from six months to one month for all types of vehicles to ensure timely registration and reduce the number of unregistered vehicles on roads.

The introduction of hefty fines for late registration was also discussed. Additionally, a mandatory driving course, including both theoretical education and practical training, was proposed for new licence applicants to improve driver competence and road safety.

The meeting also proposed introducing a 30-demerit points system for traffic violations, under which demerit points would be recorded for specified traffic offences, and accumulating these points could result in the suspension or cancellation of a driver’s licence, thereby encouraging responsible driving and holding drivers accountable for their actions.

To enhance enforcement, the traffic police proposed a faceless ticketing system, which would utilise e-ticketing technology, including automatic number plate recognition and speed cameras to issue electronic tickets for traffic violations. The system would also include payment incentives for timely payments and penalties for delayed payments.

The meeting also proposed making safety devices and tracking systems mandatory in vehicles. These include trackers, dash cams and cabin cameras for real-time monitoring of location, speed and driver behaviour. Vehicle owners would be responsible for ensuring these devices are operational, with penalties for non-installation or tampering.

The meeting also discussed the revamping of the Traffic Engineering Bureau. The CS said that the necessary funding would be allocated to transform the bureau into a professional organisation capable of addressing road safety concerns and improving traffic management.

Sindh police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon stressed the critical need for coordination among all the relevant departments to ensure the successful enforcement of the traffic laws.

He said that the effective implementation of the traffic regulations and road safety measures can only be achieved through seamless coordination between all departments. “Collaborative efforts will allow us to enforce the traffic laws effectively, promote safe driving practices, and reduce road accidents.”

A detailed enforcement mechanism was also proposed to ensure compliance with the new regulations. Offenders would receive an e-challan with a 21-day deadline for payment. A 50 per cent discount would be provided for payments made within 14 days, while penalties would be doubled if payment is not made within 21 days.

Demerit points would be added to the driver’s record, and if payment is delayed for more than three months, their licence may be suspended. If payment is not made within six months, their CNIC would be blocked and restrictions would be imposed on accessing government services such as passport issuance, vehicle registration and banking services.

The CS underscored the importance of strict enforcement of the proposed amendments. He directed all the departments concerned to launch a public awareness campaign to inform residents and vehicle owners about the new regulations and penalties.

Punctuality

In a separate meeting, the CS directed all officers to ensure punctuality in government offices. He said that senior officers must set an example by arriving on time. “If any senior officer is found neglecting office timings, a report will be submitted directly to the chief minister.”

He also issued orders about the misuse of official vehicles, warning that any government vehicle found with fancy number plates or tinted windows would result in strict action.

Inter exams

The CS has directed all the deputy commissioners to closely monitor the intermediate examination process to ensure fairness and discipline. He also instructed the divisional commissioners to obtain detailed reports from all the education boards regarding their vigilance committees.