Islamabad police to launch crackdown: Unlicensed & underage drivers to face action

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police have decided to launch a major crackdown on unlicensed and underage driving in the federal capital, with vehicles driven by individuals without valid driving licences to be impounded and released only after the required licence is obtained.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, Captain (retd) Muhammad Sohail Chaudhry, announced the decision during a meeting with a delegation of the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association.

He said traffic laws prohibiting unlicensed and underage driving would be strictly enforced. Vehicles driven by unlicensed individuals would be impounded at the relevant police stations and returned to their owners only after the drivers obtained valid licences.

However, in cases involving underage drivers, police would impound vehicles instead of registering criminal cases. The vehicles would be released after the parents of the underage drivers appeared at the police station and submitted a written undertaking.

The IGP also announced increased police patrolling to curb street crime, saying the force had been provided with improved vehicles to strengthen operational efficiency.

He said special attention was being given to the Safe City Project, with surveillance cameras being utilised to prevent and investigate criminal activities.

Highlighting policing reforms, Chaudhry said more than half of the security checkpoints outside the Red Zone had been removed, while police had been directed to focus on increased patrolling rather than static checkpoints.

He added that containers had been removed from Islamabad and normal activities had resumed across the capital despite the challenges faced by the police following his appointment.

The delegation included Association President Malik Asad, General Secretary Asif Naveed, former presidents Awais Yousafzai, Rizwan Qazi, Hussain Ahmed and Fayyaz Mahmood, former secretary Ehtesham Kayani, former finance secretary Malik Najeeb and member Muhammad Faizan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026