THE new amendments to the Punjab Motor Vehicle Act, announced by Chief Minister Ma-ryam Nawaz’s government, clearly show a strong intention to bring order and discipline to Punjab’s roads.
The fines are heavy, the rules are firm and the message is unmistakable. Anyone who pollutes the air, parks illegally, drives underage or uses a mobile phone while driving will now face serious financial consequences. In principle, this is exactly the kind of reform a society needs to become more responsible.
Seen from a policy perspective, these steps are timely. Around the world, strict enforcement of traffic regulations has helped create safer roads, cleaner environments and a culture of respect among citizens. Punjab too cannot hope to move forward without addressing its long-standing habits of reckless driving, illegal parking, littering and disregard for basic civic sensibilities. With these changes, the government has made it clear that public behaviour must now improve. Yet the real question is not about the rules themselves. The real question is who will enforce them and how they will do it.
This is where public doubts begin. People in Punjab are not unfamiliar with strict rules. What they are unfamiliar with is fair enforcement. Every time new regulations are introduced, some officers in the police and related departments turn them into opportunities for personal gain. Instead of improving discipline, the laws are often used as tools of harassment. Ordinary citizens are stopped, intimidated and pressured into paying “settlements” that never appear on official record. Receipts are avoided and negotiations begin on the roadside. It is not the fine that worries the public. It is the misuse of authority.
Underage drivers are seldom dealt with through a proper legal process. Families are instead dragged into bargaining. Fines for smoke-emitting vehicles are implemented selectively, often targeting those who have no influence, while well-connected individuals continue without any fear of action. This uneven enforcement destroys the very spirit of the reforms.
A civilized society cannot be built on unfair practices. Strict laws alone cannot change behaviour if the people responsible for implementing them are not held accountable. Heavy penalties may look impressive in official notifications, but they become meaningless if they end up fueling corruption instead of reducing violations. For the government, the real challenge begins now. Drafting new laws is easy. Ensuring transparent enforcement is the real test. Without digital systems, proper monitoring and accountability for enforcement officials, even the best intentions will fail. If the government truly wants to change Punjab’s traffic culture, it must first change the internal culture of the institutions enforcing the law.
The people of Punjab want safer roads, cleaner air and a disciplined public environment. But they also want fairness, dignity and protection against misuse of power. If Maryam Nawaz’s Administration manages to control corruption within enforcement agencies, these fines may genuinely help reshape public behaviour.
Otherwise, this initiative will simply become another example of good policy ruined by poor implementation. For now, the people wait, hopeful yet cautious, to see whether this effort will bring real change or simply add more weight to the hands of those already accustomed to exploiting the system.
—The writer is former Regional Executive Inclusive Development at NBP, Mirpur AK.
