Karachi’s traffic authorities have issued an official warning to rickshaw drivers operating illegal routes that have been banned by government, that any violations will result in strict legal repercussions, including fines and possible prosecution under Section 188 of Pakistan Penal Code.
Officials announced that the government had issued orders restricting nine-seat rickshaws from operating on twenty major city routes in Karachi, with traffic police authorized to take immediate action if any vehicle breaks these new regulations.
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DSP Kashif Nadeem explained that these measures have been put in place by the government in order to enhance safety and reduce congestion. Any violator found traveling along prohibited routes will be punished under legal procedures outlined in traffic laws.
The DSP noted that Karachi’s E-challan system had been extensively promoted for almost four months prior to implementation, with awareness campaigns taking place via social media, television broadcasting and print publications as well as on-ground activities across the city.
Students from different schools and universities took part in this campaign, helping the traffic police distribute information regarding digital ticketing and its implications in Karachi.
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Officials noted the positive public response as evidence that Karachians have quickly accepted and discussed the E-challan system since its debut earlier this year.
DSP Kashif Nadeem believes citizens have vastly increased knowledge of traffic laws today, which allows police officers to enforce regulations more efficiently across major roads and intersections.
He noted that Karachi has roughly six-seven to six-eight lakh registered vehicles, with motorbikes accounting for roughly 54% of daily traffic volumes in the city.
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According to him, manual challans issued never exceeded three or four thousand tickets per day making it challenging for authorities to ensure consistent law enforcement within their city.
By implementing the E-challan system, officials have been able to issue over 5,300 tickets daily against violators using digital monitoring and smart cameras installed across Karachi.
Authorities stated that their combined strategy of digital enforcement, legal penalties and public awareness aims to promote road discipline and reduce accidents on some of the city’s busiest transport routes.
