As Karachi’s new e-challan system kicked off, an unexpected twist emerged — a traffic ticket was issued to the official vehicle of DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah on the Lyari Expressway, where no cameras are installed.
The automated system, launched on October 28, was meant to monitor violations only along Shahrah-e-Faisal through five camera points. Within just six hours, fines worth over Rs12 million were issued.
However, the system’s credibility came into question when the DIG’s vehicle — reportedly driven by his driver without a seatbelt — received a Rs10,000 e-challan from a location outside the camera zone.
The incident went public after the police’s own media department shared the news, sparking debate over transparency and fairness. Critics question how a location without surveillance could generate an automated challan — and whether top officials will be held to the same standards as citizens.
In just 48 hours, Karachi’s e-challan system has issued over Rs100 million in fines, including more than 4,400 cases for not wearing seatbelts and 1,564 for helmet violations.
What was meant to be a symbol of modernization has instead raised concerns about accuracy, accountability, and equal enforcement of the law.
