BHALWAL-Driving by underage drivers, especially those riding bikes, have given rise to fatal road accidents in Bhalwal city, putting a question mark on the performance of the traffic police. The situation also warrants head-on measures to address the grave problem, claiming precious lives on road on daily basis.
According to the report of a survey conducted by The Nation, the teenagers, and underage boys, perform thrilling stunts on motorbikes, lacking even headlights. By performing deadliest stunts, they pretend to be disrespectful to the traffic laws, and have no fear of police. These ‘stuntmen’ threaten the lives of other motorcyclists and pedestrians, walking on roadsides and footpaths. Besides locals, traffic police are also helpless to take any action against these motorcyclists or even prevent them from rash driving to save others’ lives as they are sons of well-to-do and influential families. Registering a case against them would be ineffective as they are released shortly after arrest. Local media has highlighted the issue time and again but in vain. It is due to cops’ weakness for bribes. It has been learnt that the motorcyclists, if seldom caught by the police, get released easily by greasing palms of the policemen. The cops, after getting gratification, do not even bother to check licences of the motor-bikers. In their craze to line pockets with money, the cops neglect how their dishonesty would play havoc with the lives of innocent women, children and senior persons as they can become easy victim of rash driving by teenage motor-bikers.
According to Section 337-G of Pakistan Panel Code, anyone convicted of rash driving is bound to pay Arsh and Daman and to serve five-year imprisonment as Tazir. Under the section, police may arrest the culprit without warrant.
Talking to The Nation, local people demanded the authorities concerned penalise parents of the underage motorcyclists who allow their children take bikes on roads. “Deadly traffic accidents are afoot in the city if these motorcyclists would not be stopped from running motorbikes recklessly on city roads,” they said. They urged the policemen to perform duty with honesty. Locals also demanded stern punishment for the reckless motor-bikers. They also stressed the need for imposing huge fines on irresponsible motorists which, they said, would help minimise the illegal practice in the city.