KARACHI: Karachi’s electronic traffic challan (e-challan) system has faced criticism after a motorist was issued five separate fines totaling Rs50,000 in a single day.
Hakimullah, the affected driver, revealed that all five challans were generated on October 30. Three of the fines were recorded at 12:03 pm in Mauripur, while the remaining two were issued ten minutes later at 12:13 pm in Hasan Square. All fines were related to the violation of not wearing a seatbelt, leaving Hakimullah shocked by the hefty amount he was asked to pay.
Traffic police have since contacted the motorist and advised him to visit a facilitation center to resolve the issue. Authorities have reassured Karachi’s residents that their challans will be reviewed, with the first violations being waived off.
The e-challan system, introduced just last week in Karachi, has already stirred debate. After its launch, Karachi traffic police reported issuing over 2,600 challans in just six hours, amounting to Rs12.5 million in fines. The violations included overspeeding, lane and stop-line violations, failure to wear seatbelts, running red lights, and riding motorcycles without helmets, among others.
Despite its ambitious goal to improve traffic monitoring and encourage law-abiding behavior, the new system has sparked controversy. Opposition leaders and citizens have raised concerns about its legality, with a petition challenging the system now before the Sindh High Court. The petition argues that e-challans, generated using CCTV cameras and artificial intelligence, are unfairly targeting vehicle owners rather than the actual offenders behind the wheel.
Usman Farooq, the petitioners’ lawyer, highlighted the shortcomings of the system, emphasizing the lack of infrastructure, such as speed limit signs and zebra crossings, and pointing out that ongoing construction projects often lead to traffic being diverted onto wrong-side lanes. Critics argue that the system’s implementation does not account for these conditions, placing undue burden on Karachi’s drivers.
