Motorway police adopt novel way to meet challan target.

TAXILA -- Officials of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) Taxila circle have allegedly adopted a novel way to meet the challan target by establishing 'nakas' on G.T. Road.

It has been observed that the patrolling officials of NHMP cause traffic congestion by blocking the road just to achieve their shift challan target. The officials park their cars on the spots where traffic gets slow due to the poor condition of the road, especially near the Mughal Garden bridge at Wah and the timber market near Taxila and target trucks and dumpers mostly loaded with stone crush and sand even through the staff of a private contractor of the fine collection unit.

Interestingly, the contractor's staff while wearing official jackets signal and stop vehicles especially trucks and dumpers and collect fines from them for different 'violations.'

As per the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), no 'naka' could be established on the road on permanent basis. As per SOP, a vehicle or vehicles could be intercepted on suspicious activities and violation of traffic rules.

Inside sources told this correspondent that officials posted in the sector on deputation from various district police departments were least bothered about ensuring smooth flow of traffic and spent one hour per shift at these two points during which they randomly stopped loaded dumpers, trucks and trailers and issued them tickets whether they made any violation or not. The stoppage of a huge number of loaded trailers and dumpers for issuance of tickets not only obstructs smooth flow of traffic but also causes traffic jams on G.T. Road. The sources said that in the past on the observation of the practice by high-ups of the NHMP the officials were suspended after they were found guilty of establishing 'naka' on GT Road.

Ghulam Shabbir, a dumper driver, told this reporter that the police officials kept sitting in their cars while employees of the fine collection unit stopped dumpers and trucks and issued them tickets.

'There is mutual understanding between the...