KARACHI: The Sindh government has introduced a new system of traffic penalties, including fines and a demerit points system, by amending the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, to improve road safety across the province.

Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said in a statement on Thursday that violations including overspeeding, driving without a license, signal violations, wrong-way driving, overloading, and reckless behaviour would now carry higher fines and demerit points.

Under the revised penalty structure, overspeeding will result in fines of Rs5,000 for motorcycles, Rs15,000 for cars, and Rs20,000 for heavy vehicles, along with eight demerit points. Driving without a license will be penalised with a fine of up to Rs50,000 and six demerit points. Reckless driving will attract a fine of Rs25,000 and eight points.

The new system also includes fines for one-wheeling, riding motorcycles without helmets, using tinted windows, driving in the wrong lane, and carrying passengers on vehicle roofs.

“These measures are not intended to collect revenue,” Mr Memon said. “They are aimed at saving lives and making roads safer for everyone.” He added that repeated violations could lead to license suspension or cancellation and that traffic offences such as signal breaking and overspeeding pose risks to public safety.

The minister also said the government is working to modernise traffic enforcement by introducing a digital monitoring system and increasing the capacity of the traffic police.

He noted that the demerit points system, which tracks repeat offenders, is in use in several other countries. He said public awareness campaigns would be launched to encourage compliance with traffic laws.

He appealed to citizens to support the new regulations to reduce accidents, improve traffic flow, and increase road safety.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2025