More than 288,000 electronic traffic tickets have been issued in Karachi since the launch of the Traffic Regulation and Citation System in October last year, reflecting the expanding use of digital tools in traffic management and enforcement across the city. The figures were shared during a performance review meeting held at Central Police Office Karachi, where Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Akhtar Odho was briefed on the operational progress, public response and enforcement outcomes of the e challan system, which was introduced to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in traffic policing.
The e challan framework was rolled out following a Sindh government decision to ensure that traffic violation notices are delivered directly to the registered home addresses of vehicle owners, reducing on road disputes and encouraging formal compliance. While the system has attracted mixed reactions from the public since its launch, officials said it has significantly improved record keeping and monitoring of repeat violations. During the meeting, the deputy inspector general of traffic police informed the IGP that out of the total e tickets generated under TRACS, 52 percent have already been delivered to vehicle owners, while 48 percent remain under process. The delay in delivery was attributed to refusal by recipients, changes in residential addresses or incomplete address information. Authorities confirmed that re delivery efforts are ongoing to ensure notices reach the intended recipients.
The briefing further highlighted encouraging compliance indicators, with 71 percent of issued e tickets having already been paid by citizens. A notable portion of tickets were waived as they involved first time offences, reflecting a measured enforcement approach aimed at awareness and behavioural change rather than penalties alone. The system has also incorporated a structured complaint mechanism, under which 7,681 complaints have been registered since October. According to police data shared in the meeting, 81 percent of these complaints have been resolved, while the remaining 19 percent are currently under review, indicating steady progress in addressing citizen concerns related to ticket accuracy, delivery and system errors.
A significant enforcement outcome of the digital ticketing initiative has been the blacklisting of 12,000 vehicles since October 27. Officials explained that vehicles flagged under the system include those linked to non transfer of ownership rights, fake or incomplete number plates, theft, mischief and other illegal activities. IGP Odho directed traffic police to work closely with district police units to take coordinated action against blacklisted vehicles and ensure enforcement is carried out effectively. He also instructed that data related to blacklisted vehicles be shared with Safe City cameras, Emergency Response Vehicles and the Anti Vehicle Lifting Cell to strengthen surveillance, tracking and on ground response through integrated systems.
Emphasising the role of technology in modern law enforcement, the IGP ordered traffic police to begin issuing e tickets through smartphones on an experimental basis to further streamline enforcement and reduce dependency on manual processes. He noted that simplifying policing through digital tools requires extraordinary measures and consistent oversight. Additional instructions were issued to prepare a comprehensive action plan targeting blacklisted vehicles, while a decision was also taken to impose a Rs100,000 fine on heavy vehicles operating without trackers, reinforcing the use of technology for monitoring commercial transport. The meeting also concluded with directions to ban departmental transfers within traffic police, a step aimed at ensuring continuity and accountability during the ongoing rollout and stabilisation of Karachi’s digital traffic enforcement system.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
