Sindh govt plans crackdown to ensure road safety

karachi: Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Thursday informed the media about the decisions taken by a meeting, chaired by the chief minister earlier in the day, to tackle traffic issues, including rising road accidents.

He said 80,000 number plates are ready for collection, but many vehicle owners have yet to obtain them. A 30-day grace period has been given for heavy traffic vehicles to obtain a fitness certificate, he said, adding that vehicles entering Sindh from other provinces will also be required to obtain a fitness certificate from Sindh authorities. Certificates issued by Punjab, Balochistan, or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will not be considered valid in Sindh, he added.

Memon said that in the meeting, the CM made several important decisions with the consensus of all relevant departments. The Sindh government has decided to take immediate action regarding the fitness and registration of all heavy traffic vehicles, he added.

He said motor vehicle inspectors (MVI) were already present in the transport department, and now this process was being further accelerated. It is now mandatory for every heavy vehicle, including large transport vehicles, to have a valid fitness certificate.

He said vehicles without a fitness certificate will not be allowed on the roads. Our first priority in this regard is heavy vehicles. The transport department will ensure that all heavy traffic vehicles, including trailers, tankers, buses, and dumpers, undergo proper inspection and verification. Any vehicle that does not meet the fitness standards will not be permitted to operate.

During the meeting, the excise minister said that 80,000 number plates are ready for collection, but many vehicle owners have yet to obtain them. Through this press conference, Sharjeel Memon said, he requested vehicle owners to collect their number plates from the Excise Department to avoid any inconvenience on the roads.