Lawmakers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan have lashed out at the Sindh government’s decision to impose heavy fines and a demerit point system for traffic violations, terming it an “injustice against Karachi’s residents” and evidence of the provincial administration’s “incompetence and corruption.”
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, MQM-P members of the Sindh Assembly said the move was unfair to citizens who already suffer from dilapidated civic infrastructure under the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) rule.
“Karachi’s roads are riddled with potholes, traffic signals don’t work, and yet the government is punishing citizens with hefty fines instead of fixing these problems,” the lawmakers said. “This is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from its failures.”
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The representatives accused the Sindh government of neglecting essential services despite billions of rupees allocated in development budgets. “Instead of repairing roads, improving drainage and upgrading traffic infrastructure, the government is burdening the public with fines,” they added.
They argued that the demerit system is adopted in developed countries only after providing modern infrastructure and safe conditions. “In Karachi, where residents already face daily hazards, imposing additional financial penalties amounts to oppression,” the lawmakers said.
The MQM-P also took aim at the PPP’s prolonged rule, saying that after 17 years in power, “Karachi and Sindh resemble Mohenjo-Daro — neglected and deteriorated.” They lamented that despite Karachi contributing 70 per cent and Sindh 90 per cent of the country’s revenue to the federal exchequer, the city continued to face injustice.
The party demanded an immediate reduction in fines and urged the government to focus on facilitation rather than punishment. It also called for better training and supervision of the traffic police, public awareness campaigns, and urgent repairs to city roads to enable compliance with traffic laws.
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Additionally, party legislators demanded transparent use of development funds and an inquiry into alleged corruption within the provincial administration.
The statement comes amid the Sindh government’s recent move to introduce a stricter penalty regime for traffic violations, aimed at improving road safety across the province.
Under the new system, violations such as overspeeding, signal jumping, wrong-way driving, overloading, and driving without a license will attract heavy fines and demerit points.
According to the updated rules, motorcyclists caught overspeeding will face a fine of Rs5,000, car drivers Rs15,000, and heavy vehicle operators Rs20,000. Each of these offences will also result in 8 demerit points being added to the offender’s driving record.
Driving without a valid license can lead to a fine of up to Rs50,000, along with 6 demerit points, while reckless driving will carry a penalty of Rs25,000 and 8 demerit points.
Additional offences covered under the new enforcement policy include one-wheeling, riding without a helmet, tinted windows, wrong-lane driving, and carrying passengers on rooftops—all of which are now punishable with monetary fines and points under the revised traffic laws.
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