Friday March 6th 2026
Glasgow City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Drew Sandelands
A private hire driver jailed after a woman broke her leg when she was dragged by his car has lost his licence.
Iqbal Akhtar was locked up for 22 months and banned from driving for over four years following an incident in December 2022.
He had been granted a licence renewal in August ahead of his trial, but Police Scotland complained again after the driver was found guilty.
An officer told Glasgow City Council’s licensing committee that Akhtar caused “serious injury” to a passenger after driving dangerously in December 2022.
During an incident in Paisley, he had driven at “excessive speeds” causing the woman to be “dragged along the roadway”, she added. Akhtar, who was working as a private hire driver at the time, also failed to stop and leave his details, councillors were told.
He was found guilty in September and sentenced to 22 months imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving for 58 months.
His private hire car driver’s licence has now ceased to have effect and has been revoked by the committee.
In August, Police Scotland objected to a licence bid from Akhtar due to his pending case. However, the committee, which had twice continued the application for an update on criminal proceedings, agreed to renew the licence.
Akhtar’s solicitor had asked for a third continuation until after his client’s trial, but he was told the committee didn’t have time.
Cllr Alex Wilson, SNP, who was chairing the licensing committee meeting in August, said members would consider the police report and also “take into account that no decisions have been made yet, on the assumption that people are innocent until proven guilty”.
At the time, councillors were told it was alleged the applicant “accelerated at speed in a public car park” while a customer was next to the vehicle, causing “her to be dragged or fall and break her leg”.
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