In a significant move to reduce accidents on motorways, Punjab Police have registered the province’s first-ever FIR against a speeding driver on the M-4 motorway near Multan, a spokesperson confirmed on Thursday.
The National Highways and Motorway Police had recently announced that motorists exceeding the 150 km/h speed limit would face criminal cases. Drivers caught speeding will not only have FIRs registered against them but could also have their vehicles impounded, the police warned.
The standard speed limit on motorways in Pakistan stands at 120 km/h for cars, jeeps, and light transport vehicles (LTVs), while heavy transport vehicles must stay under 110 km/h.
According to Motorway Police Spokesperson Syed Imran Ahmed, this first case involved a vehicle caught travelling at 173 km/h near Multan. The incident led to the immediate registration of an FIR at Badlah-e-Sant Police Station, Multan, under laws related to negligence and speeding. The driver was taken into custody and handed over to the local police.
The spokesperson stressed that such strict action against speeding would continue, as overspeeding, dangerous overtaking, and traffic violations are among the leading causes of fatal accidents on Pakistan’s highways.
The move comes after a series of tragic accidents. Recently, a bus crash near the Neelah-Dullah Interchange on the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway claimed eight lives and injured 41 passengers. Similarly, on January 22, another accident near Nooriabad on the M-9 Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway resulted in one death and 11 injuries
