Illegal rickshaws ply freely in city

Nexus of racketeers, corrupt cops unearthed in sting operation

KARACHI:

Qingqi rickshaws, notorious for causing traffic snarls by flouting traffic rules, have come under the radar following a recent investigative report

The team Grift of Express TV exposed a bribery and illegal practices network involving Qingqi rickshaw owners and traffic police.

The undercover sting operation unearthed the system operating the six and nine-seater rickshaws, known by a brand named Quingqi or simply Qingqi, to ply freely on the roads despite a ban.

These rickshaws, often driven by unlicensed drivers, cause traffic issues and accidents, with authorities allegedly taking bribes to allow them.

The investigation began with meeting Qingqiowners and undercover reporters posing as new rickshaw operators. First of all, they met a Qingqi stop or ada owner named Imran, who finally agreed to talk in the third meeting, which was recorded by the Grift team.

Imran’s illegal nine seater rickshaws run from Surjani Town to Old City. There are 10 to 12 traffic sections on his unauthorised route and he gives a bribe of Rs10,000 to Rs12,000 for each section. Imran said he enjoys 50% discount on bribes due to relatives in intelligence agencies.

Imran added that he has a habit of giving more than the settled amount plus a few thousand to cops on the beat besides weekly envelopes for the various officials and officers of the traffic police so that his flee to 85 illegal rickshaws runs peacefully.

Another Qingqi stand owner mentioned paying Rs100 per rickshaw to a person called Pathan for protection, with varying amounts to other checkpoints. Finally, Farhan, another stand owner, explained the bribe distribution process to the team, highlighting how traffic sections and road officials receive regular payments to allow the illegal rickshaws to operate smoothly.

Farhan took the Grift team’s correspondent to the Surjani traffic section, where they met Munshi Shakir. Shakir explained that most Qingqi stands start from Surjani but pass through many traffic sections, providing a lucrative opportunity for Surjani traffic officers. He revealed that they pay Rs12,000 to the Surjani Traffic Section monthly and a one-time payment of Rs20,000 when launching a new route. Occasionally, the traffic police conduct drives against traffic violations, but otherwise, operations continue smoothly.

Next, the Grift team visited the New Karachi Traffic Section, where RK Munawwar initially demanded Rs40,000 monthly but later agreed to Rs35,000 to allow a chingchi route. They then met RK Imran of Khawaja Ajmer Traffic Section, who settled for Rs30,000 monthly, matching the New Karachi rate.

At the Regional Transport Office (RTO), the team discovered that all Qingqis were illegal and operated with traffic police support. RTO officials explained that permits are only for three-seater and four-plus-one rickshaws, with six and nine-seater invoices falsely labeled as four-plus-one. This clarified that the entire chingchi operation was illegal, sustained by corrupt officers.

In an interview before Ramadan, late Irshad Bukhari, president of Karachi Transport Union, highlighted the illegality of Qingqis and their impact on bus, minibus, and coach owners, who were becoming unemployed.

The Grift team then visited Liaquatabad No 10, where Qingqi drivers brazenly admitted on camera that they avoided challans by paying bribes. They said the money went to traffic check-posts, ensuring they faced no obstacles. Traffic officials, when questioned, claimed they had no instructions to issue challans to chingchis.

Finally, the team sought the perspective of DIG Traffic Karachi, Ahmad Nawaz Cheema, and showed him the sting operation videos. He insisted they neither air the videos nor mention them, calling hidden recordings yellow journalism. Grift refused his condition and included the matter in their show, questioning if there was another way to expose uniformed officials’ corruption. His response provided indirect answers to many of their questions.