Unauthorised rickshaws banned on major city roads

In a move aimed at improving traffic flow and ensuring public safety, Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi on Tuesday imposed a two-month ban on the operation of unauthorised one-plus-two and one-plus-four motor cab rickshaws on eleven major roads across the city.

The decision, made on the recommendation of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Traffic, had been enacted under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and would remain in effect from April 15 to June 14, 2025. Violations of the ban would be dealt with under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

According to a traffic police report, rickshaws operating without official permits and following self-designated routes had become a significant cause of traffic congestion. These vehicles were said to obstruct traffic and pose safety risks, particularly on key arteries of the city.

The roads under restriction include Sharae-e-Faisal from Avari Light Signal to Madam Apartment, I I Chundrigar Road from Tower to Shaheen Complex, Shahrah-e-Quaideen from Numaish to Sharae Faisal (Nursery), Sher Shah Suri Road from Metric Board Office to Nagan Chowrangi, Shaheed-e-Millat Road from Jail Chowrangi to Shaheed Millat Expressway, Abdullah Haroon Road to 2 Talwar from Hashoo Centre (Mobile Market) via Hoshan, Khayaban-e-Iqbal from 2 Talwar to Shahrah-e-Firdousi up to Abdullah Shah Ghazi Shrine, Stadium Road from Millennium Mall to New Town Police Station, Sir Shah Suleman Road and Sir Habib Ibrahim Rahmatullah Road from Hassan Square to Karsaz, Rashid Minhas Road from Drigh Road to Sohrab Goth, and Mauripur Road from Gulbai to ICI Bridge.