06/03/2026
🟥 GLASGOW TAXI DRIVER SUSPENDED FOLLOWING CLAIMS OF ILLEGAL FARES AND THREATS
A Glasgow taxi driver has been handed a two-week suspension after he was accused of threatening a colleague who reported him for breaking licensing rules.
Qamar Farooq faced a city council licensing committee following allegations that he refused to use his meter and instead attempted to charge passengers a fixed price.
The trouble began when a fellow driver claimed he witnessed Mr Farooq "refusing hires" and offering a group of women a flat £10 fee for a trip to Sauchiehall Street.
When the witness reminded him that he was required to "ensure that a taximeter fitted in the taxi shall be operated at all times," Mr Farooq allegedly responded in "an extremely aggressive way."
Mr Farooq denied the claims, stating he only told the passengers the fare "would be approximately £10" and that other potential customers were too drunk to pick up.
The situation escalated after Mr Farooq was called in for a formal interview with enforcement officers.
The committee heard that the very next day, he "approached the taxi driver who had submitted the online complaint against him and threatened him for doing so."
Councillors were shown a video of the exchange, leading Committee Chair Cllr Sean Ferguson to tell Mr Farooq: "What we have seen, you did behave in a very aggressive manner. The way you behaved in that video was profoundly unfortunate."
Despite some councillors pushing for a month-long ban, the committee ultimately voted 3-2 in favour of a shorter two-week suspension.
