The Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) to present licensing policy on March 12 in a petition of a deaf student against denial of driving license to him. The petitioner Muhammad Haider through Mian Ismatullah advocate contended that Haider duly completed his driving training from the Lahore traffic police driving school and was also awarded a certificate. However, the respondents refused to issue him the learner driving license for being a deaf person.
The counsel argued that the act of the traffic police was discriminatory in nature and violation of fundamental rights of persons with special needs. He said no law put a bar on driving of deaf persons as the motorway police also mentioned deaf persons in its policy as eligible drivers.
Ismatullah told the court that all over the world deaf persons were allowed to drive on roads. He asked the court to order the traffic police to issue driving license to the petitioner and other deaf persons who applied for it.