Misuse of authority by Lahore Traffic Wardens

It is in the instinct of human beings that whenever they get authority, the first use they make of it is the misuse. The same goes with the traffic wardens who are deployed in the Punjab capital to regulate the messy traffic and ensure smooth travel for
all. But they are not doing well what they are supposed to do actually. However, they, in indirect way, look to bag unfair money by frequently issuing fine notices to the transporters and general drivers.

At the start of the job, every warden is allotted a specific quota of issuing fine notices on daily basis, and he gets commission on every single notice he issues in a day. This is done with fair intent so that the men in uniform perform their duties honestly
and do not let the violators unpunished. But the wardens are abusing this authority by sentencing the non-violators.

What the wardens do is to stop vehicles and commuters randomly and issue them fine notices regardless of adjudging who is guilty and who is not. They do so just to get the maximum commission. In this way, they cause great nuisance to the helpless people
both in terms of finance, time and energy. Once you are issued a fine notice, you need at least two days to submit it and get your documents recovered from the custody of traffic centres which are in shabby conditions and contain poor staff.

The wardens are perpetrating this crime confidently as there is no law to question them. Unlike the European countries, we do not have proper consumer courts which can punish the deviants related to the public offices.

This is a gruesome trend which should be discouraged and defied at the mass level. Unless both the victims and the non-victims do not speak against this tyranny, it will not come to an end.

Reportedly, the police department has conceded an authority of registering FIRs against the transporters and drivers who violate traffic laws daringly. But the wardens will misuse it as well by issuing arrest warrants to those innocents who challenge their
uncanny treatment. This is totally weird and absurd.

It is appealed to the Chief Minister Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif, to take some strict action against this open misuse of authorities and frame out a law which can prevent the non-violators from penalties. This should be done on priority basis by the Punjab rulers
who claim to be ardent ‘Public Servants’.  

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=8375

Posted by Sharjeel Ahmad on Jan 6 2012. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry