Karachi resident was unexpectedly issued a Rs10,000 e-challan for a traffic violation committed by a vehicle registered in Quetta, highlighting gaps in inter-provincial vehicle registration systems.
Ishaq Dar Arrives in Brussels for 3-Day Visit to Co-Chair Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue
The fine was sent to the owner of a Karachi-registered car bearing number AAR-540 — a vehicle that had already been reported stolen. Upon verification, authorities discovered that the violation had actually been committed by a different car in Quetta using the same number plate.
Officials confirmed that the Quetta vehicle, also displaying registration number AAR-540, was recorded committing a seatbelt violation on Hub Road. Due to the identical plates, Karachi’s automated system incorrectly identified the stolen Karachi car as the offender.
Police further noted that the make and model of the two vehicles were entirely different, making it clear that duplicate plates caused the mix-up.
The issue, authorities say, stems from the absence of fully digitised vehicle registration in Balochistan, preventing Karachi’s automated challan system from verifying provincial records in real time.
Officials warned that the lack of an integrated national vehicle database continues to pose challenges, especially in cases of stolen vehicles and number plate duplication.
Police have called for stronger inter-provincial coordination and comprehensive digitisation of vehicle registration systems to avoid similar errors in the future.
