Close to 800,000 unpaid e-challans and seized documents are stuck in Lahore's system. Since 2 November, traffic wardens have been posted at courts across the city to help recover that money, according to Dunya News and Pro Pakistani.
Registered in Punjab? Open echallan.psca.gop.pk tonight. A challan under 10 days old still costs the original amount. One that looks wrong belongs in the portal's review section, not your SMS bin.
Day 11: double fine, file goes to court
Ten days. That's all Lahore Traffic Police give you before the amount doubles.
After that, the challan moves to the relevant court. A fine you could have paid on your phone in two minutes now needs a court visit. According to Tech Juice, police are sending summons to everyone who misses the deadline, and anyone who still doesn't pay after a summons faces stricter legal action.
Duplicate licence instead of paying? That's who gets summoned
The 800,000 figure mixes two things: pending digital challans, and licences or CNICs seized over non-payment and still held by the courts.
Daily Pakistan notes it is separate from the 2.9 million vehicles reported earlier this year with unpaid camera challans.
Officials say plenty of motorists never went back to court for their seized licence because the doubled fine put them off. Some got a fresh CNIC or a duplicate licence instead. The summons now cover exactly those people. A new card in your wallet doesn't close the case attached to the old one.
What a long unpaid record looks like
In October, patrolling officers on Walton Road stopped a motorcycle with 113 e-challans against it, according to LHR Times. Riding without a helmet accounted for 89 of them and jumping signals for the other 24. The rider was fined Rs 190,000 and the bike went to Factory Area police station.
Lahore's ANPR cameras now issue e-challans for more than 20 kinds of violation, and CTO Abdul Raheem Shirazi's teams have already impounded vehicles and written to government departments whose cars owe fines.
Got a challan for a car that wasn't yours?
Safe City cameras do make mistakes, and the system is being challenged in court. Dawn reported on 5 November that an application in the Lahore High Court cites a Gujrat resident whose 2018 car received five Lahore e-challans. Photos attached to those challans showed a different model. The owner says he was driving from Naran to Gujrat on those dates.
That filing also warns that unpaid e-challans can lead to vehicle confiscation and can block ownership transfer and token tax payment, even for an owner who did nothing wrong.
Our advice: never let a wrong challan sit. PSCA's review option on echallan.psca.gop.pk lets you upload proof such as photos of your own number plate, your car's model, or anything showing where you were. A pending review is a record that you disputed it. Silence just runs out the 10 days.
Buying a used car in Lahore? Run the number first
Fines stay with the registration number. PSCA has issued a public notice asking buyers to verify e-challans before purchasing a used vehicle, and the Dawn filing says unpaid challans can hold up a transfer.
Two minutes on the portal with the seller's registration number, before any money changes hands, tells you whether you're about to inherit someone else's red-light record.
How to check and pay an e-challan in Lahore
- Open echallan.psca.gop.pk, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority portal.
- Enter the vehicle registration number and the owner's CNIC (or the chassis number).
- Generate a PSID and pay through the ePay Punjab app, a bank app or a JazzCash agent.
- If your documents are already with a court, follow the court's procedure to pay and collect them.
Lahore e-challan questions, answered
Lahore mein e-challan kaise check karein?
Go to echallan.psca.gop.pk and enter your vehicle number with your CNIC. All pending challans for that vehicle show up with photos.
What happens if I don't pay my e-challan within 10 days?
The fine doubles and the challan is sent to court. Police then issue a summons, and ignoring that can bring stricter legal action.
Will a duplicate driving licence clear my seized one?
No. Traffic officials have said the summons are going specifically to people who took a new CNIC or licence instead of paying.
Can I challenge a wrong e-challan?
Yes. File a review on the PSCA portal and upload evidence before the 10 days run out.
Drive in Lahore? Check the portal today. Buying used? Check the seller's number before you pay a rupee.
