Karachi Red Zone: Private drivers, fancy plates found on govt vehicles

Karachi police have begun inspecting both private and government vehicles within the city’s high-security Red Zone with an aim to control illegal activities and restoring public confidence in the lawful use of government resources.

According to police officials, checkpoints have been set up across key locations in Karachi, where dozens of government vehicles belonging to both the Sindh and federal governments have been stopped and searched.

During the inspection, several irregularities were discovered, including fancy or unauthorized number plates, private drivers operating official vehicles, and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) vehicles without number plates altogether.

Karachi police revealed that misuse of government vehicles is rampant, with some private vehicles carrying official number plates, and non-customs paid (NCP) vehicles using government registrations to avoid detection.

Officers stated that the operation was launched on the instructions of higher authorities to ensure transparency and rule of law. Drivers are being verified, and complete documentation is being examined at each checkpoint, officials added.

Read more: Ajrak number plate policy challenged in SHC

Meanwhile, the Sindh government’s decision to impose Sindh number plates for all licensed vehicles has caused anarchy and frustration among Karachi residents.

Intended to control theft of vehicles and improve tax collection, the initiative has instead caused lengthy waits, delayed issuance, and strict traffic enforcement.

According to official stats, Karachi has 3.5 million registered motorcycles and 2.3 million registered cars, making the rollout of new plates an operational headache.

Even though the task is important, the Excise Department has not given clear guidelines, which puts citizens at the mercy of the traffic police. In just two months, they have issued more than 52,000 challans.