Punjab Government and Lahore High Court Halt Arrests of Underage Drivers

Lahore: The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and the Lahore High Court have intervened to stop the arrest of underage drivers for traffic violations, emphasizing education and warnings over immediate legal action.

On Tuesday, CM Maryam Nawaz expressed strong disapproval over the use of handcuffs on children for traffic offenses. She announced that underage students would no longer be arrested for first-time violations and that warnings would be issued instead. For repeat offenses, legal action will follow according to the law.

A policy decision has also been made to allow 16-year-olds in Punjab to obtain smart cards and motorcycle driving licenses. Additionally, first-time violations, such as not wearing helmets, will result in a warning rather than a fine. Awareness campaigns for students and the public will be held weekly across Punjab, and traffic police have started using drones and body cameras for monitoring.

CM Nawaz stressed that parents must play a stronger role in ensuring road safety, noting that traffic laws exist to protect lives. She urged the public to adopt safe driving habits and emphasized that children should be educated on the importance of wearing helmets. Traffic police were instructed to treat the public with respect, avoiding rudeness or misconduct. In recent enforcement actions, 2,445 police vehicles were penalized for traffic violations.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court, through Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, directed IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar to halt the immediate arrest of underage drivers. The court emphasized conducting awareness campaigns first and issuing warnings to first-time offenders, with legal action reserved for repeated violations.

The directive follows a meeting called by the Chief Justice with IG Punjab at the Lahore High Court chambers to discuss measures for protecting underage drivers.