Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the newly launched E-challan system in Karachi, saying the large number of fines issued within hours of its rollout shows the Sindh government is using the scheme to fill its coffers rather than improve traffic management.  The E-challan system recorded nearly 2,662 tickets and collected over Rs12.5 million in fines within just six hours of its launch. 

In a statement, MQM-P members of the Sindh Assembly called the initiative a “financial burden” on Karachi’s residents and accused the provincial government of using the E-challan as a tool to fill the treasury.  The lawmakers claimed that corruption within the traffic police remains unchecked, saying the E-challan has “become a money-making scheme that profits in the name of traffic violations.” 

They alleged that despite the installation of modern surveillance cameras, traffic officers continue to extort motorists, using minor violations as pretexts to harass the public and demand bribes.  “While the E-challan fills the provincial treasury, the powerful tanker mafia continues to operate with impunity under alleged police protection,” the statement said, adding that “ordinary citizens are being forced to pay hefty fines for minor infractions, worsening their financial burden.” 

MQM-P lawmakers demanded action against corrupt traffic officials and urged the Sindh government to end what they described as a “double standard” in enforcement.  They also called for a thorough investigation into bribery and misconduct within the traffic police and emphasized that the E-challan system should be used solely to promote road safety and transparency — not to generate unaccountable revenue.  According to the latest data released by the Karachi Traffic Police, a total of 2,662 e-challans were generated during the system’s initial hours of operation. 

The breakdown of violations includes 419 cases of overspeeding, 3 lane violations, 4 stop-line violations, 1,535 for not wearing seatbelts, 166 for red-signal violations, 507 for riding without helmets, 7 for tinted windows, 5 for illegal parking, 5 for no-parking violations, 3 for wrong-way driving, and 32 for using a mobile phone while driving. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)