Bus owners challenge E-Challans in Sindh High Court

KARACHI: The bus owners’ body has filed petition in the Sindh High Court challenging the E-Challan system recently introduced in Karachi.

The bus owners lawyer pleaded to the high court that the government of Sindh’s relevant notification has been unlawful because its legal requirements have not been fulfilled.

“The rate of fines is not just, in view of the condition of the city’s roads and unclear traffic signs,” according to the petition.

“Rs. one lac fine on commercial buses in the city will break the back of the transport business,” petitioners said.

“The camera monitoring system is good but the amount of fines is unbearable,” lawyer argued.

Petitioners said that it is not upon the administration to punish the violation, “under the Motorvehicle Act 2025 only a magistrate could decide about punishment in case of a violation”.

Petition also argued that the Sindh government has yet to establish the traffic courts thus the fines could not be imposed.

“There are no fixed places for bus stops, the vehicles are being slapped fines over stopping for exiting or entering passengers,” petitioner said.

In a bold move to restore compliance of the traffic rules in Karachi, the Sindh government has recently rolled out the E-Challan system. While some applauded this initiative as a step toward better traffic management, many citizens are left scratching their heads and shaking their fists at the exorbitant fines.