Traffic challan ‘to cost’ Sargodha cop his job

LAHORE: Refusal to tender an apology for serving a traffic challan to the driver of Sargodha district and sessions judge (D&SJ) has become a bone of contention between the judge and a Sargodha Traffic Police inspector with the former allegedly having the cop threatened of dire consequences.

As per the details, Traffic Inspector Nasirullah on January 27 pulled over a rickshaw without registration plates in the Khushab Road area of Sargodha.

“The driver was unable to produce before me any registration papers of the vehicle while also refusing to tell me his name or address. Following this, I served him a traffic challan under violation code no. 15 and told him to surrender the rickshaw so it may be shifted to Sargodha Traffic Police Office,” the cop stated in his application to Sargodha district police officer (DPO).

Just then, he added, a person stepped out of the pulled over vehicle.

“The rickshaw passenger introduced himself as Zulqarnain and the driver of Sargodha D&SJ. He asked me how I had dared to stop the rickshaw that he was commuting on and insulted me while also threatening of dire consequences,” the traffic cop claimed.

A day later, Nasirullah was summoned to the court of a sessions judge. “Upon my arrival, I was told that the judge himself wasn’t there; however, his superintendent Muhammad Sabir informed me that I would have to appear before Sargodha Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Azeem Akhtar the next day.”

According to the cop, the court on January 31 told him to apologise to Zulqarnain so that the issue may be sorted out. “I presented to the judge a copy of the challan and evidence of the entire episode but he kept on insisting that I apologise to the driver.”

“When I did not comply, the senior civil judge ordered throwing me out of the courtroom and threatened of seeking my dismissal by writing to my superiors. He said he will make sure I apologise to the driver or face the music otherwise.”

The applicant further claimed that he was being victimised for performing his duties in accordance with the law.

Repeated attempts were made to contact Sargodha DPO and D&SJ, but they were unavailable.