ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Traffic Police has decided to issue driving licences to all citizens without any discrimination regarding their residential address and provide such permits to the elderly residents at their doorstep.

During the inauguration of the Islamabad Traffic Police Facilitation on Wheels and Islamabad Traffic Police Education on Wheels on Monday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the police would facilitate students at their colleges and universities for the issuance of licences. On the occasion, IGP Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and other police officers were also present and the IGP briefed the minister about the facilitation vans.

The minister said that providing all possible facilities to the citizens of Islamabad was his top priority.

“Today we are officially launching the service to facilitate the issuance and renewal of learners and licences to students of colleges and universities by visiting their educational institutions. The purpose of the service is to save time,” he added.

The minister said the ITP would issue licences to every citizen and would not deny them this permit for having a temporary or permanent address outside Islamabad. Mr Naqvi said he was aware of the traffic situation in Islamabad, adding that some projects would be started soon to resolve this problem.

“Efforts have been started to make Islamabad drug and encroachments free,” he claimed alluding to recent police action against alleged drug peddlers. He added that the decision of the Supreme Court regarding encroachment would be followed as well in Islamabad and no one would be allowed to encroach public spaces.

The minister said that welfare for the police and the families of the police martyrs was also among his priorities. Speaking about the new police chief, he said the IGP was efficiently performing his duties and that the policing was a round-the-clock job.

He further said that parking facilities at all commercial areas in Islamabad would be ensured, adding that action would be taken against the commercial centres which did not have a parking space.

According to the interior minister, there is a ban on the issuance of permits for glass tints on vehicles and the existing permissions for the said purpose will also be cancelled.

The minister further said that there were various reasons for delays in the issuance of passports, and advocated the establishment of a passport authority to resolve such issues. Soon the ministry will inform the federal cabinet about the draft for legislation in this regard.

In a comment on reports about a speculated deal between the PTI chief and the powers that be, the interior minister said he did not know about any deal between Imran Khan and the establishment.

“It is better to ask and get the details from those who are claiming about the existence of such a deal,” he said, adding that names removed from the Exit Control List were a “routine matter”.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2024