Lahore traffic police now register FIRs for green number plates, blue lights and flashers

Lahore traffic police have started registering FIRs, criminal cases instead of fines, against drivers who put unauthorised green number plates, blue lights or police flashers on private cars. The order came from Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Raheem Sherazi, and DSP Muhammad Ashfaq is supervising the operation in Defence Phase V and other areas, ProPakistani reported on Thursday 29 October.

The three violations that now mean an FIR in Lahore

1. Green number plates on a private vehicle. Green plates are for official government vehicles; a private car carrying one is now a criminal case.
2. Blue lights fitted to a private car.
3. Police-style flashers (red and blue flashing lights) on a private car.

Police have also warned that drivers who alter or hide their number plates, drive recklessly, zigzag through traffic or drift on public roads, or otherwise put other people's lives at risk, will face cases rather than tickets.

The Defence Phase V case that started it

The crackdown picked up after traffic police stopped a private car with unauthorised green plates and police flashing lights in Defence Phase V. The driver said he was the brother of an assistant director and allegedly tried to use that to sway the officers. On the CTO's notice, police took the driver and the car to the police station, and Defence B police registered a case against him under provisions on deceiving law enforcement agencies.

Part of a wider Punjab push

This is the latest in a run of tougher traffic rules in Lahore and across Punjab this month. Safe City cameras are already flagging fake and covered number plates in 43 cities (our report), and smoke-emitting vehicles are being impounded in Rawalpindi as part of the smog campaign (our report).

An FIR is a far bigger problem than a challan. A fine is paid and forgotten; a criminal case means a court appearance, possible bail, and a record that can surface in a police character certificate check for a job or a visa.

What to do if your car has these fittings

• Take off any green plate unless the vehicle is a government vehicle registered as such. Use only the standard plate issued by the Excise and Taxation department for your registration.
• Remove blue lights and flashers. They are reserved for police and emergency vehicles.
• Keep your plate clean and readable, with no tinted covers, stickers or bent edges, since cameras now read them automatically.
• Check your registration and token tax are up to date before you drive: our token tax calculator shows what is due in Punjab, and the vehicle transfer fee calculator covers a car you have just bought.

To report a car using fake official plates or flashers, call police emergency 15.