Sindh Bans Rickshaws With THESE Specs

The Sindh government has approved a sweeping set of new traffic regulations, including a complete ban on four-seater rickshaws, as part of efforts to improve road safety and curb rising accidents.

The decision, announced after a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar, also introduces mandatory third-party vehicle fitness checks and significantly higher fines for traffic violations.

The move comes amid a surge in traffic accidents in Karachi, where nearly 500 people were killed and 4,879 injured in 2024, prompting public protests and calls for stricter enforcement. Under the new rules, only 1×2 seater rickshaws will be allowed on the roads, and no new registrations or route permits will be issued for four-seater or larger rickshaws such as Qingqi.

The government will outsource vehicle fitness certification to third parties, making fitness checks mandatory for all commercial and non-commercial vehicles. Water tankers and dumpers must now install trackers and sensors, and heavy vehicles are banned from operating during daytime hours without proper certification.

Additional measures include a ban on the sale of tinted windows, fancy lights, and sirens, and the introduction of e-challans delivered to vehicle owners’ registered addresses. Vehicles with unpaid fines will be barred from sale or transfer. Fines for violations have been sharply increased, with penalties ranging from Rs25,000 for motorcyclists driving against traffic to Rs200,000 for wrong-way driving by government vehicles.

The new regulations also require at least five cameras in heavy vehicles and mandate the appointment of a dedicated traffic magistrate. The province’s traffic, transport, and excise systems will be interlinked and moved online to streamline enforcement. A comprehensive draft of the new rules will be submitted for final approval and ratification by the Sindh government.