CORRUPTION IN MOTORWAY POLICE
CORRUPTION IN MOTORWAY POLICE UNEARTHED
By Atif Khan
Created in 1997 with foreign assistance, The Motorway Police has been projected as corruption free and model police, but no more as corruption in this prestigious department have been exposed by the public transport drivers plying on the motorway.
The rude behavior of the motorway staff have been reported from time to time and the directions from Inspector General (NH&MP) Dr. Wasim Kausar also appear in newspapers, but now bus drivers have come up with a Pandora box of complains against the motorway police. They accused the motorway officials of not paying the fare while traveling on their buses. These drivers also accused the officials for misconduct, and abuse of power by issuing wrong tickets.
“These officials never pay a signal penny in account of fare, they travel free and if we ask them fare, they note down the number of the bus and next time when we travel on motorway, they challan us without any violation, and threat us that you dare to ask us fare, now pay this as we are the owners of this motorway” said Rana Javed, driver of Skyways Bus Service which ply on Sadiqabad / Islamabad route.
He said that if there is no vacant seat in the bus, these officials direct the staff to vacate some seat for them. Bus drivers of other air-conditioned buses including Al-Makkah bus service, also reported same allegations.
“Daily dozens of the motorway police officials stop buses traveling on motorway, with the signal of their hand while standing on blind turns, they not only travel free but their sudden stopping may cause fatal accidents.
Answering a question they said that since they have to travel on motorway daily, they cannot afford enmity of the motorway police so they avoid making any complaints.
"if we want to register complain against motorway officials, we don’t know where to go, as these all motorway officials don’t hear complain against their belt brothers”, said Farooq Hussain driver of another bus service. He said that bus owners also direct those to avoid any conflict with the motorway staff, as the bus have to be on the motorway / highway daily.
“These officials not only stand on the motorway violating their own rules, which restrict walking on motorway, but also abruptly stopping the vehicles may cause fatal accidents” Qurban Hussain, another driver said.
It is worth mentioning that a former multinational bus service, which later became national service, is exempted from these free lifts. “This bus service is exempted, because it is used by the elite of the country”, a motorway official said on the promise of anonymity. The official admitted that the motorway officials travel without paying the fare.
Pointing out another aspect of the free lifts, he said that it suits the drivers also as by offering free transport; the motorway staff ignores their minor violations. The favorite favor bus drivers ask is to ignore over loading on the rooftops of the buses and over loading of passengers during Eid days. Answering a question he said that these free lifts are not new but no reporter bothers to hunt for stories about far away highways and motorways.
The bus drivers also alleged that some highway officials were taking bribe from taxi / rikshaw drivers in some parts of the Sindh province.
The drivers also complained about the rude behavior of officials, thrashing the overall concept about the motorway police propagated over the years.
The staff of Air-conditioned coaches, transporting middle class of the country from one point of the country to another, says that the motorway staff, famous for its politeness, even abuses them, sometimes.
“At every entry point of Lahore-Islamabad Motorway, the motorway police videotape passengers, in order to prevent dacoity on motorway: If the motorway officials find any passenger sleeping they create a fuss, they not only abuse us but also slap the sleeping passengers”, said Ghulam Qadir, a bus driver of New Khan bus service.
When Motorway officials were contacted they denied all charges, however when recorded proofs were produced, National Highway and Motorway Police, Public Relations Officer, Javed Chaudhary admitted that they have received some complaints against some officials, traveling without fare.
He said that in this regard, strong directions were issued by IG to bus drivers and motorway staff and the officials found guilty, were fired from the department. However he was unable to answer that how many officers were fired. He however, maintained that motorway was corruption free and traveling without fare was not corruption. He said that 40 percent of total Motorway staff consists of officers on deputation from other departments, who are involved in these types of activities. He maintained that no official of motorway or highway police ever took bribe.
The National Corruption Perception Survey 2009 (NCPS 2009), by Transparency International Pakistan, indicates that the overall Corruption in 2002 has increased from Rs 45 Billion to Rs 195 Billion in 2009. Police and Power maintained their ranking as the top two most corrupt sectors in the country.
By Atif Khan
Created in 1997 with foreign assistance, The Motorway Police has been projected as corruption free and model police, but no more as corruption in this prestigious department have been exposed by the public transport drivers plying on the motorway.
The rude behavior of the motorway staff have been reported from time to time and the directions from Inspector General (NH&MP) Dr. Wasim Kausar also appear in newspapers, but now bus drivers have come up with a Pandora box of complains against the motorway police. They accused the motorway officials of not paying the fare while traveling on their buses. These drivers also accused the officials for misconduct, and abuse of power by issuing wrong tickets.
“These officials never pay a signal penny in account of fare, they travel free and if we ask them fare, they note down the number of the bus and next time when we travel on motorway, they challan us without any violation, and threat us that you dare to ask us fare, now pay this as we are the owners of this motorway” said Rana Javed, driver of Skyways Bus Service which ply on Sadiqabad / Islamabad route.
He said that if there is no vacant seat in the bus, these officials direct the staff to vacate some seat for them. Bus drivers of other air-conditioned buses including Al-Makkah bus service, also reported same allegations.
“Daily dozens of the motorway police officials stop buses traveling on motorway, with the signal of their hand while standing on blind turns, they not only travel free but their sudden stopping may cause fatal accidents.
Answering a question they said that since they have to travel on motorway daily, they cannot afford enmity of the motorway police so they avoid making any complaints.
"if we want to register complain against motorway officials, we don’t know where to go, as these all motorway officials don’t hear complain against their belt brothers”, said Farooq Hussain driver of another bus service. He said that bus owners also direct those to avoid any conflict with the motorway staff, as the bus have to be on the motorway / highway daily.
“These officials not only stand on the motorway violating their own rules, which restrict walking on motorway, but also abruptly stopping the vehicles may cause fatal accidents” Qurban Hussain, another driver said.
It is worth mentioning that a former multinational bus service, which later became national service, is exempted from these free lifts. “This bus service is exempted, because it is used by the elite of the country”, a motorway official said on the promise of anonymity. The official admitted that the motorway officials travel without paying the fare.
Pointing out another aspect of the free lifts, he said that it suits the drivers also as by offering free transport; the motorway staff ignores their minor violations. The favorite favor bus drivers ask is to ignore over loading on the rooftops of the buses and over loading of passengers during Eid days. Answering a question he said that these free lifts are not new but no reporter bothers to hunt for stories about far away highways and motorways.
The bus drivers also alleged that some highway officials were taking bribe from taxi / rikshaw drivers in some parts of the Sindh province.
The drivers also complained about the rude behavior of officials, thrashing the overall concept about the motorway police propagated over the years.
The staff of Air-conditioned coaches, transporting middle class of the country from one point of the country to another, says that the motorway staff, famous for its politeness, even abuses them, sometimes.
“At every entry point of Lahore-Islamabad Motorway, the motorway police videotape passengers, in order to prevent dacoity on motorway: If the motorway officials find any passenger sleeping they create a fuss, they not only abuse us but also slap the sleeping passengers”, said Ghulam Qadir, a bus driver of New Khan bus service.
When Motorway officials were contacted they denied all charges, however when recorded proofs were produced, National Highway and Motorway Police, Public Relations Officer, Javed Chaudhary admitted that they have received some complaints against some officials, traveling without fare.
He said that in this regard, strong directions were issued by IG to bus drivers and motorway staff and the officials found guilty, were fired from the department. However he was unable to answer that how many officers were fired. He however, maintained that motorway was corruption free and traveling without fare was not corruption. He said that 40 percent of total Motorway staff consists of officers on deputation from other departments, who are involved in these types of activities. He maintained that no official of motorway or highway police ever took bribe.
The National Corruption Perception Survey 2009 (NCPS 2009), by Transparency International Pakistan, indicates that the overall Corruption in 2002 has increased from Rs 45 Billion to Rs 195 Billion in 2009. Police and Power maintained their ranking as the top two most corrupt sectors in the country.
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