Citizens complain of wrongful fines as opposition demands rollback of heavy penalties
KARACHI — The Sindh government’s newly introduced electronic challan (e-challan) system has drawn widespread criticism after citizens reported glaring technical errors including fines issued to people who claim they were never on the road.
One frustrated citizen told that he received an e-challan for a violation he never committed. “The photo on the challan shows one number plate, but the text lists another,” he said, calling it a “serious system flaw.” He added that the document accused him of riding without a helmet near Clifton’s Teen Talwar at 9:45 a.m. even though he was at home in Scheme 33 at that time.
The e-challan also slapped him with six demerit points, leaving him questioning the system’s reliability. “If such digital mistakes can happen this easily, who will protect ordinary citizens from wrongful penalties?” he asked.
According to officials, the e-challan system has been active for only three days but has already issued 12,942 tickets across Karachi. On day one alone, 2,622 e-challans were generated in just six hours, followed by 4,301 on the second day and 5,979 on the third figures that have triggered public backlash over both accuracy and fairness.
Amid growing outrage, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has stepped in, directing the traffic police to waive the first e-challan as a goodwill gesture, but warned that repeat offenders would face strict enforcement.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) lawmaker Muhammad Farooq raised the issue in the Sindh Assembly, terming the fines “excessive and unjust.” He called for an immediate rollback of Rs5,000 penalties on motorcyclists, arguing that Karachi’s poor road conditions and missing signboards make such heavy fines unfair. “The city’s infrastructure is collapsing, yet citizens are being punished for the government’s negligence this must stop,” he said.
Adding legal weight to the opposition, the Markazi Muslim League has filed a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court, challenging the legality of the e-challan system. The petition names the Sindh government, DIG Traffic, and NADRA as respondents, alleging that citizens are being threatened with identity card blocks for not paying fines.
“The city’s infrastructure is in shambles, traffic signals barely work, and yet the government is imposing Rs5,000 fines while in Lahore, the same violation costs only Rs200,” the petition argues, urging the court to hear the case on an urgent basis.
The controversy has reignited debate over digital governance in Sindh, with critics calling for transparency, accountability, and a pause on fines until the system is thoroughly reviewed and corrected.
