A traffic warden allegedly sparked a protest by rickshaw drivers and students when he slapped a student at the Punjab University underpass on Saturday.
During the rush hours, a traffic warden posted on the PU bridge stopped a student on a motorcycle from passing through what was termed by some as ‘a very complicated traffic mess’. The warden asked the student to hand his licence over so that he could be booked, however, the student said he had already been booked earlier in the day and there was no point in booking him again. The argument heated up and the warden then started hitting the student. A rickshaw driver who was passing by asked the warden not to hit the boy at which the enraged warden turned to the rickshaw driver and attacked him also.
Reportedly, the rickshaw driver used foul language against the warden and soon members of Muttahida Rickshaw Drivers’ Union gathered with their rickshaws which numbered over 300 and blocked the traffic in protest. The students also staged a protest against the Traffic Police outside the Lahore Press Club and demanded that the warden be asked to resign.
“This will teach the traffic wardens a lesson. They have been booking people for no reason because they have to meet their monthly quota and this warden was so frustrated he actually tried to use physical force to get a challan. Rickshaw drivers will not tolerate this,” said Raheem Jan, a rickshaw driver. The Traffic Police spokesman, Ali Nawaz, was not available for comments despite repeated attempts.
I do not blame the Warden.Put an MPA or MNA as Warden for one hour and see what happens.The students misbehave and violate traffic at will defying the Police and putting others lives in danger.Drastic measures are needed to check this trend. Wardens need support.
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