KARACHI: The city police have announced a “strict citywide crackdown” from Friday against motorists using fake, concealed or illegal number plates, warning that violators will face arrests, vehicle seizures and criminal cases.

Addressing a press conference, Karachi police chief Javed Alam Odho said the drive will involve joint action by the traffic police, excise department, CPLC and district police.

Accompanied by Excise and Taxation Director Shabana Baloch, DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah and the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee Chief Zubair Habib, he said special checkpoints and roadblocks will be set up across the city to ensure enforcement.

The police chief said the e-challan system has “significantly improved traffic management and public compliance with traffic laws as helmet usage and seatbelt compliance have increased”.

However, he added that some citizens have started using illegal tactics to avoid fines, including fake number plates, green or departmental plates, monograms, logos, or deliberately hiding plates.

Mr Odho warned that driving without a legal number plate is a serious offence. Vehicles with fake number plates or using green plates, unauthorised departmental plates or altered designs will be seized, he added.

The excise official said that more than two million new number plates had been issued so far and that the department’s entire database is digitised. She added that excise teams present during road checks can instantly verify vehicle records.

DIG Shah said over 500 vehicles running on “open letters” have been blacklisted, while “trackers have been installed in 15,000 out of 22,000 heavy vehicles” operating in Karachi.

He said trackers help determine speed and movement during accidents, contributing to accountability.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2025