Daily Times

Heavy traffic vehicles’ drivers, mostly truckers, accused city traffic police wardens of extortion and bribes at entry points of the city.

Many drivers of the trucks told Daily Times that police have erected barricades on roads leading to city to stop every heavy vehicle, demanding bribe for allowing them to pass through. “Traffic wardens performing duty at the pickets on entry points of the city- especially at Sara-e-Kharbuza, 22 number Chundgi, Ganjmandi and other points- get bribe money on regular basis from the drivers of the heavy vehicles to let them through,” said a truck driver who was working in a steel mill.

“They (drivers) don’t have any option except to pay the bribe or else, they get heavy traffic challan without any violation or on minor violation some time”, said a disgruntled driver wishing anonymity. The truck driver prefers to pay cash to avoid visiting the traffic offices to collect their documents after depositing cash challans, added he.

In return of the bribe, the traffic wardens give them (drivers) a guarantee of “No Challan” on that particular day and also share their mobile numbers with the drivers in case of any inconvenience, he maintained.

An official of the traffic police wishing anonymity said that the traffic police wardens use their influence to get posting on these entry points of the city. Bribe money by the traffic wardens is not a new scam, even the higher authorities are aware of it, he revealed.

Despite repeated attempts, Chief Traffic Officer Muhammad Bin Ashraf could not be approached to get his version over the matter.