A lawyer in Jeddah attempting to renew his housemaid's residency visa recently was told the operation could not be done until he had paid a fine for driving a plough. Adnan Al-Zahrani was told by the Passports Department that they could not proceed without clearance from the Traffic Department for a violation which, when he inquired at the latter's office, turned out to be for driving agricultural machinery within city limits. “It's laughable,” Al-Zahrani said. “I've never driven a plough in my life.” Traffic officials were insistent, however, and Al-Zahrani paid the fine so that progress in the visa renewal could be made. Traffic chief Muhammad Al-Qahtani later told Okaz, however, that there had been a mistake. “The wrong information was entered into the system under the lawyer's civil register,” Al-Qahtani admitted. “I would ask him to meet me personally at the office to clear up the issue and so I can return the fine he paid.”
