Islamabad: The Punjab government’s two-month long drive against motorcyclists without helmets has taken further heat as the district administrations in Lahore and Rawalpindi are set to issue orders to petrol pump owners and dealers prohibiting them to sell fuel to those motorcyclists who are not wearing full-face helmets.
In Lahore, the City Traffic Police Officer has written a letter to the Deputy Commissioner who also enjoys powers of District Magistrate to issue an across-the-border to all the petrol pumps and filling stations operating in the city and rural areas that motorcyclists without helmets must not be given petrol.
The Punjab government is already implementing its directions for motorcyclists to observe ‘helmet orders’ and it seems to produce further results with such a ban imposed on petrol pumps.
During the last two months, since Lahore High Court declared helmet must for motorcyclists, the District Administration of Lahore has carried out a large scale operation against such violating motorcyclists. In the period, around 300,000 motorcyclists have been fined.
On the Mall Road alone, 38,000 motorcyclists were banned or fined for not wearing helmets.
In Rawalpindi too, a similar ban on petrol pumps is underway though for the time being it has been postponed for a period of 12 days.
The District administration has given 12 days relaxation to petrol pumps owners and dealers to give fuel to motorcyclists without helmet till December 1, 2018.
However, strict action will be taken against petrol pumps giving fuel to motorcyclists without helmet from December 1, 2018.
According to a notification by the city district government, Rawalpindi petrol ban will be effective from December 1, 2018.
The local administration had in fact issued a notification for stopping petrol sale to motorcyclists without helmet on Friday but fearing a possible backlash from the public on such an out of the blue order forced the authorities to postpone until Dec 1.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Dr Umar Jahangir issued directions to all petrol pumps not to supply petrol to motorcyclists without helmet from December 1, 2018. The local management has issued new notification of this direction to all petrol pumps here on Saturday.
Directions have been issued to all petrol pumps to sell fuel as per routine, however, supply of petrol of motorcyclists without helmet would be banned w.e.f Dec 1, 2018, confirmed a senior official of the District government. If petrol pumps violated this order, we will take strict action against them from December 1, 2018, he said.
The traffic wardens have also been directed to take necessary steps in this regard and start warning the motorcyclists without helmet about the possible action against them.
