Karachi traffic fines hit Rs 1.2 billion in year 2023-24, Details inside

KARACHI: A recent report reveals that the Karachi traffic police have collected a staggering Rs 1.2 billion in fines over the past year, issuing over two million traffic tickets between July 2023 and July 2024.

This translates to a daily average of Rs 3.5 million in fines. While Sindh’s Inspector General of Police, Ghulam Nabi Memon, emphasizes that the traffic police should not be seen as a revenue-generating body, the data suggests otherwise.

Notably, Rs 1.19 billion of the total fines has been paid, leaving Rs 100 million owed by 114,142 violators. The traffic police are allocated 30% of the challan amount, equivalent to Rs 360 million, but have not received their share in four to five years.

Moreover, Deputy Inspector General of Traffic Ahmed Nawaz Cheema explains that 15% of this allocation is reserved for officer rewards, while the rest is for equipment purchases.

Cheema highlights that the police focus on issuing challans for moving violations, such as wrong-way driving and traffic light violations, following directives from the IGP and Karachi Police Chief Javed Odho.

This approach has led to a significant decrease in challan rates. However, Senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar criticizes the situation, arguing that Karachi’s substantial tax contributions are not being adequately utilized to address the city’s challenges.