KARACHI: The e-challan system in Karachi appears to have gone haywire after a citizen received five traffic fines in a single day.
According to the motorist, identified as Hakeemullah, all five e-challans were issued on October 30. Three of them were recorded at the same location, while the remaining two were issued at another site.
He said the first three fines were registered at 12:03 p.m. in Mauripur, while the fourth and fifth were issued ten minutes later at 12:13 p.m. near Hassan Square. All the tickets cited the same violation, not wearing a seat belt.
The citizen said the fines clearly mentioned the date of violation, and upon receiving challans amounting to Rs50,000, he was left in shock.
Traffic Police officials stated that contact has been made with the citizen, who has been advised to visit the facilitation center. They added that the challans will be reviewed, and since this was his first offense, the fines are likely to be waived.
Issuance of incorrect e-challans has become a routine problem in Karachi, emerging as one of the most frequent public complaints. Many motorists are fined for vehicles they sold years ago due to outdated information in the Sindh Excise and Taxation Department’s records. Since the e-challan system depends on these records, even a minor data error leads to unjust penalties. To get such fines canceled, vehicle owners often have to personally visit traffic offices, turning what was meant to be a digital convenience into yet another bureaucratic ordeal.
A lack of public awareness further complicates the situation. Only a small number of citizens know how to check or pay fines online, or are even aware that an e-challan system exists. Although online and mobile payment options have been introduced, they are poorly promoted and not user-friendly. Many people only find out about their pending challans when renewing their driving licences or vehicle registrations. Without clear communication, the system risks frustrating the very citizens it was designed to serve.
Transparency remains another weak point. Drivers have limited access to photographic proof of their violations and no straightforward way to verify the legitimacy of their fines. As a result, most either pay without question or waste hours contesting charges. In a technology-driven system, public trust depends on visibility — something Karachi’s model has yet to achieve.
Technical and accessibility issues add to the challenges. Cameras often malfunction due to power outages, inadequate maintenance, or harsh weather, leading to unreliable data. Meanwhile, low-income citizens, particularly those using motorcycles or rickshaws, struggle with limited digital literacy and access to online payment systems. For them, the e-challan initiative represents not progress, but exclusion from a system meant to simplify their lives.
