Recently, a two-member divisional bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) directed Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) traffic to appear before the court on 26th October in a case regarding an increase in fares of public transport.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner told the court that the fare from Mardan to Peshawar was Rs. 152 while the petitioner paid Rs. 170 while coming to appear before the court. The honorable court inquired from Additional Advocate General regarding the fare list and fare from Mardan to Peshawar who confirmed Rs. 152 for public transport for intercity travel between both cities and urged that it is the responsibility of the administration and Police to ensure the implementation of the law.
The honorable Judge was of the view that the court was exercising executive and police duties because both institutions failed to provide services to the public. According to the court, this is not only concerning Mardan and Peshawar but it affects the whole province.
The honorable court has rightly observed that it was a failure of the administration and police who could not implement the orders and maintain the writ of the government. Interestingly, the issue is not only the implementation of fares but the entire spectrum of the government including federal, provincial, or local bodies and national institutions such as Police, LEAs, and other regulating agencies failed to implement, regulate and monitor the crimes and violations of fiscal, administrative and judicial laws.
Presently, each and every aspect of our national life presents an ungoverned growth, uncontrol traffic pattern, unregulated construction and massive encroachment in the Bazaars and streets, unprecedented increase in crimes, and unethical living habits of the people categorically demonstrate that as a nation we slid backward over the past decades.
In fact, the local administrations including Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, SSPs and SHOs are not taking interest in maintaining the writ of the government through the proper investigation of crimes and implementation of traffic laws while district council and municipal authorities do not implement local regulations in true letter and spirit to ensure cleanliness, curb encroachment and implement building control measures. Therefore, if all state institutions fulfill their responsibilities properly no complainant ever knocks on the court’s door.
