In a bizarre and unexpected incident, a five-star hotel in Karachi has reportedly received an e-challan of Rs10,000 for a vehicle that was stolen almost three decades ago, leaving the hotel management stunned.
According to hotel officials, the car was stolen from a parking area near Sharea Faisal in May 1997, and a theft case was registered with Saddar Police Station at that time. Despite the vehicle never being recovered, the hotel recently received an e-challan citing a seatbelt violation recorded at the Hub Toll Plaza.
The e-ticket was issued under the newly launched Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS), which began operating on October 27. TRACS aims to replace the old manual ticketing process with a fully automated system using AI-integrated CCTV cameras to detect traffic violations such as over-speeding, red-light jumping, helmet non-compliance, and seatbelt infractions.
Since its launch, TRACS has faced criticism, with experts pointing out that Karachi lacks the proper infrastructure and facilities to fully support such an advanced system.
Responding to the unusual fine, hotel officials said they are willing to pay the e-challan but only if the stolen vehicle is recovered.
This is not an isolated case. Last month, a local bike owner received an e-challan for a bike that had been stolen four years earlier from Tipu Sultan police premises. The e-ticket, worth Rs5,000, cited a helmet violation even though the bike was missing and a theft complaint had already been filed.
Other citizens have also reported errors, such as mismatched vehicle registration numbers on e-challans, raising questions about the accuracy and reliability of the new system.
