KARACHI: The credibility of Karachi’s multi-billion rupee E-Challan system has been called into question after a bus was fined for allegedly exceeding its own maximum mechanical speed limit.
A local bus owner has approached the court to challenge a speeding ticket issued by the automated system. According to the petitioner, the bus in question is manufactured with a maximum speed capacity of 120 km/h. However, the city’s surveillance cameras recorded the vehicle traveling at 160 km/h—a speed the owner claims is physically impossible for the vehicle to achieve.
Legal Action and Parties Involved
The President of the Bus Owners Association, Farooq Ahmed, filed the petition through his counsel, Munsif Jan Advocate. The legal challenge names several high-ranking officials as respondents, including the Secretary Transport, Regional Transport Authority (RTA), and DIG Traffic.
Demand for Technical Audit
The petitioner has requested the court to order a comprehensive and independent audit of the speed-monitoring cameras and tracking systems installed across the city. The plea argues that if the system is producing such glaring inaccuracies, it risks penalizing law-abiding citizens unfairly.
Court Proceedings
Following the preliminary hearing, the court issued formal notices to the relevant authorities, seeking a detailed response regarding the alleged technical glitch and the issuance of the erroneous fine.
