Deputy Inspector General Traffic Police Pir Muhammad Shah said altering or forging vehicle number plates constitutes a criminal offense and said those involved should face imprisonment.
During an appearance on the Geo News program Geo Pakistan, he said authorities have recorded an increase in the use of fake and altered number plates after the launch of the e-challan system. According to him, motorists have adopted practices such as using counterfeit plates or concealing registration numbers to evade traffic fines.
Authorities launched the Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS) on October 27 to replace the manual ticketing process with an automated e-challan mechanism. The system uses AI-integrated CCTV cameras to detect violations including overspeeding, red light violations, and failure to wear helmets.
Since its launch, the system has drawn criticism over the lack of supporting facilities and infrastructure in Karachi.
Pir Muhammad Shah said traffic police will fine vehicles using fake or concealed number plates and treat such violations as criminal offenses. He also shared that traffic accidents in Karachi have declined by 50 percent following the introduction of the e-challan system.
He said traffic accidents occur worldwide and no system can fully eliminate them. He added that the e-challan system has improved traffic discipline and road safety and stressed the need for strict action against motorists using fake number plates.