LHC bans fuel sale to bikers sans helmets

Lahore - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday banned the sale of petrol to the motorcyclists not wearing helmets.

Petitioner Azhar Siddiq Advocate argued that the implementation on the court’s order to use helmet was not being ensured. He requested Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi to ban the sale of fuel to those bikers who do not wear helmets.

He said that after the use of helmet the number of head injury incidents has remarkably decreased. Hearing the petition the court warned those filling stations found violating the directives would be sealed and legal action would also be taken against them.

Moreover, the court also told the chief traffic officer of Lahore to submit a compliance report in this respect by next week.

The court was also requested to take action against those police officials who ride their bikes without helmets.

He said that no one is above the law; if the citizens are ticketed for not following the traffic rules, the same rule be applied on the police officials too.

After hearing the arguments, the court directed the authorities to seal the filling stations not abiding by the orders.

Earlier, the court had directed departmental action against those police officials and wardens who do not wear helmets while riding motorbikes also without side mirrors.

He remarked that no one is above the law; if a Lahore High Court judge is ticketed through e-ticket system why not others.

Recently, the court also declared it mandatory for pillion riders to wear helmets from this month.

Meanwhile, police have been carrying out crackdown on those who ride their motorbikes without side mirrors and helmets.

In December, the high court had ordered bike companies to provide free helmets with new bikes, and sought suggestions to make bike riding safer in the city. The court has already made the use of helmet mandatory for the bike riders in the Punjab province.

Meanwhile, the use of helmets has caused about 80 percent reduction in major head injuries of motorcyclists in road accidents after the police started ensuring implementation of the orders from September 24.

The writer is member of staff and can be reached at shazadma@gmail.com

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt