Citizen receives an e-challan for vehicle parked at home for months

Already burdened by crumbling roads and missing traffic signals, the newly rolled out e-challan system in Karachi has doubled the woes of Karachiites. Many citizens report numerous technical and administrative errors, as the system was implemented without the prior restoration of highways, traffic markings, or signals.

In the latest case, a resident received an e-challan for a hefty amount for a traffic violation involving a vehicle he neither owns nor uses.

According to Faisal Sattar, a resident of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, he was issued an e-challan amounting to Rs 10,000 at his residential address for a Suzuki Mehran.

Faisal Sattar said he was stunned after receiving the e-challan, as he owns a silver Suzuki Cultus, which has been parked at his home for several months and is currently not in running condition because its battery is dead.

The citizen further revealed that he has never owned or used the Mehran. Furthermore, the vehicle cited in the e-challan is red in colour and is a Mehran.

He said that upon checking the registration details on the Excise Department’s website, he discovered that the e-challan belonged to a Suzuki Mehran model 2003, registered to M/s. Moon Light Industries, bearing the number ASF-813.

Faisal Sattar’s own vehicle is registered as ASF-613, model 2004. The system apparently misread the number plate of the vehicle that violated the traffic rule, resulting in the Rs 10,000 e-challan being sent to him instead.

He reported the issue at a Traffic Police Facilitation Centre, where he was informed that his case would be forwarded to a committee for review.

Faisal Sattar, who is employed in a private firm, said he was under grave mental stress after receiving the unlawful and unfair e-challan of such a heavy amount.

He expressed concern about the time and effort required to resolve the matter, despite having clear evidence that the vehicle in question is not his.

The incident adds to mounting complaints from Karachi residents who say they are receiving e-challans for stolen vehicles, repeated violations on the same day, or vehicles they never owned.