Duplicate Number Plates in Karachi Spark Heavy Fines for Drivers

Karachi is facing a growing issue with its e-challan system as traffic fines meant for vehicles from other provinces are being mistakenly delivered to Karachi residents. The problem stems from duplicate or identical number plates issued in different provinces, causing the automated system to wrongly assign violations to unrelated vehicle owners in Sindh.

The issue surfaced after a Karachi resident received a Rs10,000 e-challan for a seatbelt violation. The vehicle in question, bearing the number AAR 540, had actually been stolen in 1997 near Fayyaz Centre on Shahrah-e-Faisal and has been missing for 28 years. Despite the long-standing police report at Saddar police station and the car never being recovered, the owner suddenly received a heavy traffic fine last week.

When authorities investigated the matter, they found that the e-challan did not belong to the stolen vehicle at all. The missing car was a Suzuki Mehran, while the vehicle caught on camera was a Suzuki Alto. Further inquiry revealed that an Alto with the same registration number, AAR 540, is registered in Quetta, Balochistan. When this vehicle recently entered Karachi, it was fined near Hub Toll Plaza on Hub River Road. Since the number plates matched exactly, the system automatically linked the violation to the Karachi vehicle owner.

Officials explained that vehicle registration data in Balochistan is not fully digitized or integrated with national databases. As a result, duplicate number plates are not flagged, leading to fines being assigned to the wrong individuals. These errors create significant inconvenience for citizens, especially when the system generates heavy penalties or when the original vehicle has been stolen or sold years earlier.

The problem has raised serious concerns about the reliability of Karachi’s e-challan system. Experts say traffic authorities may need to upgrade number plate verification processes, enhance coordination with other provincial excise departments, and develop an integrated, nationwide vehicle registration database. Without such reforms, duplicate plates and data mismatches will continue to cause confusion, wrongful penalties, and administrative challenges for both the public and law enforcement agencies.