I RECENTLY got stopped by a traffic policeman and was asked to show my driving licence. With the state of affairs being what it is in Karachi, it is not safe to carry original documents, be it in the car dashboard or the wallet. Luckily, on that day, I had my original licence with me which spared me the nuisance of a traffic challan.

Such snap checking continues unabated, and I wonder why it is not possible for our police, in this day and age, to have driving licence and car registration verified online through a simple link with the relevant government departments.

Why can we not just keep a photocopy of documents in the vehicle? In case one loses one’s documents, the cumbersome process of lodging an FIR and other legal matters are not easy to deal with.

In fact, original number plates are being stolen, and the owners are then contacted by the criminals and threatened to pay extortion money.

Why can one not drive with duplicate number plates while keeping a photocopy of the receipt issued by the Excise and Taxation Department, which is stamped ‘original number plate issued’? Why should we risk losing the number plates because of some illogical rules?

The traffic police should be able to verify the photocopies through mobile apps installed on their phones. I hope the higher authorities within the traffic police force will make our lives easier.

Dr Syed Hasnain Mujtaba
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2025