Fake driving licenses on sale in IHK

Islamabad, Dec 29: The fake driving licenses are on sale in the Assistant Regional Transport Office (ARTO) here in this held Kashmir district.

Sources said the agents in nexus with some officials in ARTO, Islamabad are issuing fake driving licenses in lieu of huge money. “Many gullible people have been duped by these agents by issuing them fake driving licenses and the authorities are acting as mute spectators,” sources said.

Residents here alleged that the office has become a den of corruption with the agents ruling the roost.

“The irony is that if you have to get the driving license or renew it you have to approach the agents instead of the employees in ARTO,” said Muhammad Imran, of Islamabad town.

He said the agents have been provided a separate room adjacent to the ARTO, office where they issue and renew driving licenses for heavy and light vehicles after receiving huge amounts. “We fail to understand why don’t ARTO office itself issue the licenses rather than leaving us at the mercy of these agents,” said a Muhamad Junaid, of Bijbehara.

He said that one can only get the license after greasing the palms of these agents. “The ARTO office employees are hand in glove with these agents and they also get their share,” he alleged.

People, however, say that they are forced to approach the agents for driving licenses, as the process of acquiring the driving license being cumbersome. “The transport authorities have made the entire process of issuing licenses so cumbersome that we have no choice but to approach the agents in order to get the driving license in time,” said some of the applicants.

They said that even though there is a Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) in place wherein it is mandatory for the transport authorities to issue license within the stipulated period of time but the authorities take their own time to do so.

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SA/EN