MULTAN: The city traffic police issued driving licences to 20 differently abled citizens following recommendations of a medical board during 2021. Licence Branch In-charge Mirza Ghulam Ali said the driving permits could not be issued to applicants with visual and hearing loss. However, applicants facing some other physical challenges who have special identity cards may apply for the licences.
He said it was mandatory to check the physical disability and make a decision for issuance of the licence. Physically challenged persons get disability certificates through the social welfare department. Similarly, the traffic police have their own mechanism, including the constitution of a medical board and consulting experts of customised vehicles.
It is mandatory for differently abled persons to drive only altered or automatic vehicles. While talking about the criteria, the official said the applicants had to appear in routine tests.
However, the chairperson of the Society for Special Persons, Zahida Hameed, suggested that citizens with hearing and speaking impairment should also be facilitated with traffic licences. She said that the sign of ear could be inscribed on driving licences so that traffic police officials could identify the drivers with special needs.
She said the sign should also be placed on number plates of vehicles for the other citizens to have information about the drivers.
