KARACHI: A Karachi resident was issued an e-challan for his motorcycle, which had been stolen two years ago and reported to the police through a first information report (FIR). The affected individual explained that his motorcycle was taken on December 7, 2023, from the Liaquatabad area, and an FIR was filed shortly after the theft.
Despite following all legal procedures, the stolen motorcycle was never recovered. However, on December 28, 2025, the owner received an e-challan of Rs5,000 for violating traffic rules near the National Stadium Flyover, citing a helmet violation.
The owner has since appealed to the police to take action for the recovery of his stolen motorcycle. This case follows a similar incident from November 2025, when a five-star hotel in Karachi received an e-challan for a car stolen 28 years ago. The hotel management reported that the car was stolen from a parking lot near Sharea Faisal in May 1997 and that it was never recovered, but they still received a fine for a seatbelt violation recorded at the Hub Toll Plaza.
In response to such issues, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Traffic Police, Pir Muhammad Shah, recently stated that the use of fake or tampered vehicle number plates has increased since the introduction of the e-challan system. He mentioned in a Geo News program that many motorists now use counterfeit or concealed number plates to avoid traffic fines.
