To get a driving licence in Rawalpindi is a Herculean task and the applicant has to face a lot of trouble during the process. If you are unlucky (and many are) it will take months to get the document.

But for now even dont try to go to the traffic office to get a driving licence because their computer system has collapsed and God knows when it will be made functional. Hundreds of people coming to the traffic office to get the driving licence have to return empty-handed as a notice on the wall of the building informs the public that no licence will be issued till rectification of the fault in the computer system.

A man who did not wish to be identified said he had been visiting the traffic office for the last two-and-half months to get his commercial driving licence. “I have been told to wait, as their computers are not functioning,” he said.

Recently, Chief Traffic Officer Rawalpindi Dr Akhtar Abbas had very proudly introduced a computerised 'credit card style' driving licence. It was stated that no additional fee would be charged from the applicants for the new driving licence. Although it was a good move as the new smart licence would be valid for five years but again one has to pass through the same process and face the police while getting it renewed. Critics say the introduction of the credit card style driving licence was no less than staging a 'good work show' by the police high-ups because it would not put any impact on the drivers skill nor improve traffic movement. The new card has your photo, name, address, date of birth and signature. It has an expiry date and you have to renew it before that date. Moreover, to get the licence you should be at least 18 years of age and pass the vision test.

To get a drivers licence, one should go to the traffic office located at Peshawar road (adjacent to Racecourse Ground). Here you will first find a barrier and a few rude cops standing by. Keep it in your mind, if you are an ordinary person, they would not allow you to take your vehicle inside the parking lot. You would be directed to take your vehicle to the other side of the road and park it on Peshawar Road as there is no proper parking space for the visitors in the traffic police office.

It is a separate issue how much risk of vehicle theft is there in unattended parking of vehicles. The officials of the traffic police are not responsible for the safety of your vehicles and many visitors have lost their cars from outside the traffic office in the past.

After parking your vehicle at a long distance from the traffic office, it is now out of your sight, you have to pass through another ordeal at the hands of the policemen standing at the entry gate. First, they will carry out body search and may ask you some irrelevant questions before allowing you in. But don't loss patience because you have to get a driver's licence!

Though the traffic police have set up a driving training school for the applicants, including women, it is not necessary that all those attending the school would get driving licences.

Ordinary persons have to pass through a test - verbal and a behind-the-wheel exam. The police have a classroom but don't have any specific area to take behind-the-wheel exam.

Some scandals involving selling of 'bogus tickets' for driving licences and issuance of fake licences by police officials (other than the traffic staff) had come to light in the past. Cases were registered against the guilty cops, investigations conducted but what was the result nothing.

A senior police official said if the issuance of driving licences was to be made transparent, the whole system including driving tests should be made computerised.