JI moves SHC against ‘discrepancies’ in e-challan system

Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Emir Monem Zafar Khan and other party leaders have filed a petition with the Sindh High Court (SHC), challenging the “flawed” procedure and “excessive” amounts prescribed in the e-challan system.

JI leaders claimed that vehicle owners are challaned despite not actually having violated the law, and are paying the price for the flawed system of motor registration in the city. They also mentioned the “lack” of infrastructure and “wrongful” diversion of traffic by police because of under construction projects. The petition also demanded parity in fines on a par with other cities.

They said that without a transparent and fair mechanism for verifying actual vehicle owners, the e-challan system is “unfair” and “against the norms of justice”. They also said the impugned notification is “intolerable”, as the penalties are “disproportionate” to the traffic violation and when compared to the income of ordinary citizens.

They termed the impugned notification “illegal”, claiming that it is discriminatory against the residents of Karachi as compared to the residents of other cities of the country. They requested the court to suspend the operation, implementation and enforcement of the impugned notification, and the e-challans, penalties and proceedings initiated against the residents of Sindh. They also requested restraining the government from issuing, processing and recovering any penalty until the final disposal of the petition.

They also sought the declaration that the implementation of the AI-based e-challan system by the government “without adequate infrastructure and ownership verification safeguards” is “illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional”.

Speaking to the media afterwards, the JI city chief said that the imposition of heavy fines on Karachiites in the name of the e-challan system is “blatant injustice”. Khan said that over 30,000 residents have been fined within the past week. “For the same traffic violation, residents of Karachi are fined Rs5,000, whereas in other parts of the country, the fine is only Rs200. We demand reforms in the e-challan system, and that fines be brought in line with other cities.”

Referring to the statement of the provincial police chief, who said that “those who apologise for their first challan will be forgiven”, the JI leader termed it “ridiculous”. “Why should citizens apologise? It is the Sindh government, the IGP and the DIG who owe an apology to the people for failing to provide basic facilities while burdening them with heavy fines.”

He said that under Article 9 of the constitution, the state is responsible for the protection and welfare of citizens, but the provincial government has “completely failed in this duty”. “The city’s roads are broken, gutters are overflowing, traffic signals are out of order and there is no proper lane marking. Under such conditions, imposing heavy e-challans on ordinary citizens is sheer cruelty.”

He pointed out that Karachi, the country’s economic hub, has been “deprived of basic urban services”. “There’s neither a proper public transport system nor an effective mass transit network. In 17 years the Sindh government has managed to introduce only 300 buses, while a city of over 35 million people has barely 1,000 public and private buses in total.”

He also criticised the “delay” and “inefficiency” in transport projects. “The Red Line project has no completion date, the Orange Line has turned into a scam against the people of Orangi Town and the Green Line remains incomplete, yet the government is only concerned with issuing heavy challans.”

He said fines now range from Rs5,000 to Rs25,000 for motorcyclists, Rs10,000 to Rs50,000 for car drivers and up to Rs100,000 for heavy vehicles. He revealed that 728 people have lost their lives in traffic accidents this year alone, including 225 deaths caused by heavy vehicles.

“Dumpers, trailers and tankers roam the city freely, even outside their designated hours. The tanker mafia operates round the clock, and there is no concept of law enforcement.” He hoped that the SHC would provide relief to the people of Karachi from the “injustices” of the e-challan system. “The Jamaat-e-Islami will continue its constitutional and democratic struggle against every oppressive policy, as it is unacceptable that the city contributing the highest revenue to the national exchequer is treated in such a manner.”

He said the government previously “exploited” Karachi’s residents in the name of number plates. “Over the past five years, Rs60 billion have been collected from citizens under motor vehicle taxes, with no accountability. A forensic audit should be conducted to determine how this public money was spent.” He concluded by reaffirming that the JI stands firmly with the people of the city, and would continue its struggle against all unjust policies, including the e-challan system.