DawnPKme_economyAug 24, 2026, 3:59 AMImpact 32.76

Lahore traffic police going beyond the road for recovery of e-challan dues

LAHORE: Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Raheem Shirazi has sent recommendations to the higher authorities to link the recovery of pending digital traffic challans to the core services of computerised national identity cards (CNICs), passports, sale/purchase of vehicles and police services, a move being considered ‘most controversial in the history of the traffic police’. The proposal is said to be a blatant violation of the constitutional rights of citizens and the judgments of the Supreme Court. Through an official letter, the CTO has suggested to the Punjab DIG traffic police to make a move to stop the issuance of duplicate CNICs, renewal of passports, vehicle transfer (sale/purchase transactions) and certain police services to the citizens/defaulters at the police Khidmat centres across the city, an uncalled for proposal that has raised eyebrows among the police circles and legal fraternity. Citing the CTO’s recommendations as an attempt to infringe upon the constitutional rights of citizens for generating revenue or recovery of pending payments, a law firm is all set to challenge the ‘executive order of an individual officer’ in the Lahore High Court (LHC). Propose makin