The City Traffic Police has decided to launch a massive crackdown against vehicles having fancy, fake, illegal or no number plates in the provincial metropolis on Thursday. A warning has been issued to take strict action against those driving vehicles with illegal number plates. City Traffic Officer (CTO) Liaquat Ali Malik said that the crackdown will be launched in the provincial capital from January 15. The citizens will be given complete awareness before an action is taken. The citizens have been advised to only use the number plates issued by Excise Department in order to avoid any difficulty, he added. The CTO said that cases will be registered against those placing fancy, fake or illegal number plates. Besides, the drivers who will be challaned will only get their documents back after showing the real number plate. Lectures will be given at schools, colleges and bus stands to spread awareness regarding the rule. CTO Liaquat Ali Malik said that the use of vehicles having illegal green number plates, not having number plates at all and having other types of non-prescribed number plates is an illegal act and every citizen should avoid breaking the law. He said that traffic police had started imparting traffic education to students in different educational institutions, at bus stands and other places to spread awareness regarding traffic rules, in which senior police officers not only deliver lectures but also distribute pamphlets and booklets. He said that city traffic police has also started awareness across the city. The CTO directed the wardens to take action against violators of traffic rules in accordance with the law and keep a vigilant eye on suspicious vehicles. Strict action in accordance with the law has also been ordered against owners of vehicles, including motorcycles, moving in the city without number plates or having fancy, fake, applied for and illegal number plates, he added. While stressing the need for making people aware rather than fining and issuing them tickets, the CTO said that he had directed traffic wardens to educate citizens instead of ticketing. “For this purpose, we are planning to conduct meetings and workshops for different associations of rickshaws, wagons and other transport unions, to educate them about traffic rules.” While emphasising the need of awareness and education among citizens rather than ticketing and fines, the CTO said that he has directed traffic wardens to educate citizens instead of ticketing. He added that for this purpose, we are planning to conduct meetings and workshops for different places, important roads and educational institutions which would education them about traffic rules. Published in Daily Times, January 4th 2019.