Owner receives e-challan for car stolen 28 years ago in Karachi

A five-star hotel in Karachi on Wednesday received an e-challan carrying a fine of Rs10,000 for a car that was stolen 28 years ago, leaving the management stunned, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

According to the hotel management, the car was stolen from the parking area near Sharea Faisal in May 1997, and a case was registered at the Saddar Police Station at the time.

It added that despite the vehicle never being recovered, an e-challan was recently received for a seatbelt violation recorded at the Hub Toll Plaza.

The Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS) was launched on October 27, aimed at replacing the outdated manual ticketing process with a fully automated e-ticketing mechanism, utilising advanced AI-integrated CCTV cameras to detect violations such as over-speeding, red light jumping, and helmet non-compliance.

But since its inauguration, the news system has sparked debate with critics pointing to the lack of adequate facilities and infrastructure in Karachi to support its implementation.

Expressing surprise over the development, the hotel management maintained that they are willing to pay the fine but only if the authorities recover and return the stolen vehicle.

Reporter: Mairaj Akhtar