Fateh Jang (TNS) Crackdown: Chaudhry Shafqat Mahmood Leads Night Raid in Fateh Jang, Removes Illegal Truck Lights
Illegal High-Beam and Decorative Lights Confiscated on Fateh Jang Highway; Fines Imposed on Drivers
Chaudhry Shafqat Mahmood’s Clear Warning: “No One Will Endanger Road Users’ Lives”
Fateh Jang, Punjab — Staff Reporter:
Tehsildar and Price Control Magistrate Chaudhry Shafqat Mahmood personally supervised a nighttime raid on the Fateh Jang highway, targeting illegal auxiliary lights on heavily loaded trucks. During the operation, non-standard decorative lights—often installed for show—were confiscated, and fines were imposed on drivers regardless of their influence or status.
“This is a clear message,” Mahmood stated during the crackdown. “No one will be allowed to endanger the lives of road users.”
Road Accidents Surge in Punjab: 4,791 Deaths and Over 570,000 Injuries in 2025
The intervention comes amid a worsening road safety crisis in Punjab, fueled by reckless driving, speeding, high beams, overloading, and hazardous vehicle modifications. Latest data from Rescue 1122 indicates:
482,870 road traffic accidents in 2025
4,791 deaths, up 19% from 4,139 in 2024
Nearly 570,000 injuries, including:
39,250 single fractures
19,603 head injuries
8,362 multiple fractures
1,125 spinal injuries
Many of these injuries have led to permanent disabilities. Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable, involved in approximately 75% of fatal crashes due to limited protection, lack of helmets, and frequent encounters with large trucks.
Experts Highlight Decorative Truck Lights as Preventable Cause, Reduce Reaction Time at Night
Decorative truck lights, while visually striking, produce intense glare on poorly lit highways, slowing reaction times and increasing the likelihood of collisions—especially at night. Experts note these are fully preventable hazards.
Fateh Jang Residents Praise the Operation, Demand Expanded Highway Enforcement
Residents of Fateh Jang and surrounding areas have welcomed the operation, calling for similar raids across highways and urban centers. Local authorities have pledged continued monitoring and follow-up actions.
Chaudhry Shafqat Mahmood Sets Example of Proactive Road Safety Governance
While one operation alone cannot solve systemic issues—such as inadequate infrastructure, lax licensing, and vehicle overloading—it demonstrates how visible enforcement can change driver behavior and restore public trust.
Long-Term Measures Needed: Awareness Campaigns, Speed Limits, Improved Infrastructure, Sustained Policing
Broader reforms, including awareness drives, proposed motorcycle speed limits (e.g., 60 km/h in certain zones), better road design, and sustained policing, could prevent thousands of deaths and injuries annually across Punjab. Mahmood’s hands-on leadership is being praised as a model for proactive governance in a system often plagued by inconsistent enforcement.
