Islamabad police to impound cars driven without a licence; underage drivers' parents called in

Islamabad Police will impound any vehicle driven without a valid driving licence in the federal capital and release it only after the driver obtains one, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Captain (retd) Muhammad Sohail Chaudhry has announced, Business Recorder reported on Tuesday. He made the announcement at a meeting with the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association.

The two rules

The IGP said laws against unlicensed and underage driving would now be strictly enforced. No start date for the drive was given, so assume it applies from now.

What it means for you

The practical risk is losing your car or motorcycle for as long as it takes to get a licence, which can be weeks if you have to start from a learner permit. Three things to do now:

1. Carry your licence, or make sure it is valid. An expired licence is not a valid one.
2. Renew online. Islamabad moved driving licence renewal and learner permits online earlier this week; our story on Islamabad driving licence renewal and learner permits going online explains the steps.
3. Keep your keys from under-18s. Under-18s cannot hold a full licence. If a child is caught driving, a parent has to go to the police station in person to sign for the vehicle.

If you are buying a used car in the city, make sure the transfer is done properly so the car is not stuck in a station under someone else's name: our vehicle transfer fee calculator and token tax calculator show what the paperwork costs.

Fewer checkpoints, more patrols

The IGP also said:

• More than half of the security checkpoints outside the Red Zone have been removed, with police told to patrol instead of standing at fixed pickets.
• Patrolling against street crime is being stepped up, with better vehicles for the force.
• The Safe City cameras are being used to prevent and investigate crime.
• Containers have been cleared from the city's roads and normal activity has resumed.

For road users this means fewer stops at pickets but more mobile checks, and a mobile check is where a missing licence will be noticed.

Why now

Making parents responsible, instead of registering a case against a minor, is meant to put the pressure where the keys come from.