Ever been stopped by a traffic policemen? I hope many of us have one or more time been stopped by a traffic policemen. They stop sometimes for a genuine reason i.e. violating the law and sometimes for the sake of getting money out of the driver. And for all those who dont know, traffic policemen are not authorized to search your car. Next time if any traffic police officer tries to search your car you have the right to speak and ask for justification. Similarly, ordinary police is not authorized to ask for your license.
Anyway, I feel that the traffic controlling system is gradually getting better. This is not an assumption, but something that I have experienced a few times by now.
Firstly, I was using a cellphone while driving on a busy Korangi road when suddenly two traffic policemen came on my side and asked me to pull over. As i stopped one of the policemen came and sat on the passenger seat. He was very, very polite in his tone which really impressed me. He asked for my car documents and license, I handed him my documents but since I had no driving license I apologized for it.
He opened his challan book and showed me the list of charges that are applicable on all law violations. As I broke two of them (first talking on the phone while driving and the other for not carrying my license) he summed and said Rs. 800 is your total, Rs. 500 for using mobile while driving and Rs. 300 for not having your license.
He offered me a deal, he said either you pay half of the total amount now at the booth or else we will have your car documents submitted at this booth and you pay the penalty. I said it clearly that I should pay for breaching the law because I knew the amount I will pay will directly go to their pockets and I was not in a mood to bribe them.
After my refusal to pay right away his tone remained the same. After my multiple refusals he asked me straight how much amount would you be able to pay easily. I replied I dont mind paying the total amount, obviously I was at fault and I was not in a situation to make a deal. He asked couple of times more and by the end of the discussion he said I understand the economic situation of the country are not so good and I should not penalize you harsh. He handed me Rs. 100 challan and took the car papers. As he went out he said “Not all policemen are same, remember me in your prayers”.
Whatever the officer did, it was his good intentions. But if we think it the other way I feel that somehow or the other I have taken Rs. 700 out of the total collection. These Rs. 700 could have added some value even if it’s just the cost of one uniform of a traffic police officer. Whenever I think of him I always praise him and remember him with good words.
We always blame the policemen for taking bribes and we always compare our policemen with other countries. I ask you, If you were getting Rs. 6,000 per month as your salary, would you have not thought of another source of income? You would have, during these times I bet you would have. And in other countries police is one of the highest paid jobs that is why they work with great determination and courage because they know they will be given reward. In our country; we dont reward them, we award them — when they lose their lives while on duty.
I dont blame our police for taking bribe, I blame the system. If we can divide so much of our budget just for one thing (Defense) then we should stop expecting anything from the rest of the sectors. As the saying goes “Dont hate the criminal – Hate the crime” (Meant for exceptions).
Increase their salaries and benefits, give them authority, provide them with better equipment and then see miracles.
I’ve had my share of such encounters. I try to remain very calm and polite in such situations. But I always insist that due legal procedure be followed. I refuse to pay the challan in cash at the booth and insist on paying at National. However, this always infuriates them and they start talking foul. Consequently I always loose my cool, and I know how bad it gets.
There have been instances when after the policemen relazied that no matter how hard the twist my arm I would not pay the cash, they politely requested that times were tough. I have always helped them out in this case. But I still insist on paying the penalites at National Bank
Good approach Hammad. You give them respect and they will respect you that is what I have experienced.
“I dont blame our police for taking bribe, I blame the system” and i blame the citizens of Pakistan .. imagine the policeman is asked by ALlah, why did you accepted bribe, he will have at least something to say i.e. he was poor, cannot feed his children (i know its not right to do but he have something to defend) and then ALlah points towards one of us .. so “why did you gave him bribe” .. what will be our answer? we dont have one letter to defend ourself!
Nice knowing that someone beleives in paying the full amount then bribing the policemen.
Actually its not always the policemen who are at fault, people who have those extra bucks to unload, offer to bribe these “tulla’z” and as pointed out by yourself, the meagre salaries they draw, saying NO to such advances is not very easy for them.
Someone up there is listening to you, change is coming, maybe we should be praying that it paces up.
As far as the economic conditions and the govt. is concerned, there’s no point of talking about stuff; talking about which will only fall over deaf ears.
a crime is a crime is a crime… no matter how petty or large it is.
bribing is a crime… not just a social crime, but also from a religious perspective.
I don’t see why anyone should bribe. Let’s face it… if you abide by the law, and so does everyone else, there wouldn’t be any criminals, would there? Always encourage those who do the right thing, and discourage the wrong-doers. If you can’t verbally discourage, the best way is to make them feel they are alone, and no one supports them.