Despite lofty claims the Punjab Traffic Police has failed in service delivery, as more than half a million driving licences were pending in the province while thousands of drivers were driving vehicles without their licences in the province, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

It is pertinent to mention that on the directives of then caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi, Punjab Traffic Police issued approximately 6 lakh driving licenses across Punjab in 2023. Traffic police told drivers and general public that their licenses will be delivered within 2 weeks at their official addresses but despite the lapse of 6-month time, drivers were still looking for their licenses. According to reports, till now more than 500,000 driving licenses remain pending across Punjab.

According to traffic police authority, printing and delivery issues led to undue delay in delivery. During 2023 more than 150,000 new driving licenses were issued in Lahore city while by February 2024 more than 50,000 new driving licenses were issued.

Reporter Irfan Malik