Major General Abdullah Al-Muhanna

KUWAIT: Interior Ministry's Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs Major General Abdullah Al-Muhanna said Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah's decision to deport expats driving without licenses would also apply to those who change their profession to those not allowed to have a driving license, without handing over the ones they have.

Muhanna explained that all traffic police have been instructed to consider expats who had changed professions to ones not listed as allowed to issue a driving license as if they hold none at all, and thus they would be considered driving without a driving license and deported even if the licenses they have are still valid.

Responding to a question about some expats' complaints that they had been deported though they were caught for not carrying driving licenses while driving as they had forgotten them at home, Muhanna stressed that there was a great difference and that they should only be fined for not carrying the licenses with them.

Muhanna warned both citizens and expats not to drive using a learner's license before they have their licenses issued. "Citizens will be severely punished and expats will be deported," he underlined. Commenting on using international driving licenses in Kuwait, Muhanna stressed that this was only allowed for non-residents provided they are valid and endorsed. - Al-Anbaa