LAHORE / ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has instructed law enforcement authorities to initiate a crackdown on underage drivers following a tragic incident in DHA Lahore, where a family of six was killed by a teenage driver named Afnan.
Naqvi directed the inspector general of Punjab police, the capital city police officer in Lahore, and regional police officers to take decisive action against individuals driving cars and bikes without a valid license.
Expressing concern over the dangers posed by underage drivers, Naqvi emphasized the need for parents to prohibit their underage children from operating vehicles. The move comes in response to the incident involving Afnan, who reportedly clashed with the victims, pursued them, and eventually caused a fatal accident in Defence Phase 7.
The teenage driver, Afnan, had allegedly threatened the victims before ramming his car into theirs at a speed of 160 km/h near McDonald’s Chowk. The victims’ car was thrown 70 feet away from the road, resulting in the immediate death of all occupants. Afnan, initially fleeing the scene, has now been taken into custody, and the case has been handed over to Deputy Superintendent Kahna, with charges of terrorism and murder included in the first information report.
Simultaneously, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered authorities to arrest drivers without a valid license. During a hearing on an appeal filed by a suspect challenging the inclusion of Section 302 (premeditated murder) in the FIR, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa expressed displeasure over traffic rule violations.
The court summoned the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore and the senior superintendent operations, emphasizing the need for indiscriminate action against those driving without licenses.
The CTO reported that there are 7.3 million cars in Lahore, with only 1.3 million individuals holding valid licenses. The court raised concerns about individuals using influential connections to evade consequences and urged authorities to take action against those providing vehicles to underage drivers.
The CTO informed the court that 999 cases have been registered against individuals driving without a license, and a crackdown has been initiated in the past three days.
