The Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party has called the recent sharp increase in traffic fines in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa an “economic massacre” of the public, demanding the immediate withdrawal of new ordinances and the restoration of the old fine structure.
In an official statement on Monday, the party specifically demanded the repeal of the controversial Traffic Ordinance 2025 in Punjab and the restoration of the Traffic Ordinance 2014 in Sindh. The PJDP also advocated for the abolition of the active e-challan system in Karachi.
The party’s Information Secretary, Muhammad Badr-ud-Duja, argued that provincial governments are constitutionally and legally unable to convert public reform measures into revenue-generating schemes, stressing that the public, already grappling with IMF-related economic pressures, should not be “buried alive” under financial burdens.
The statement criticized the Punjab government for using smog as an excuse for the new ordinance. The PJDP maintained that the primary sources of smog from autumn to spring are the burning of agricultural residues and waste, not the motorcycles, small cars, and trucks of the economically distressed public, who are already burdened with heavy taxes.
Similarly, the party pointed out that in Sindh, the “unnecessary burden” of e-challans was imposed immediately after the 2025 floods, further exacerbating public hardship. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, harsh fines have reportedly become the norm.
The PJDP also questioned the fairness of the new laws, citing instances where a “minority” is allegedly exempted from helmet laws while other motorcyclists face vehicle impoundment and heavy fines.
The statement raised important questions about the benefits of provincial autonomy under the 18th Amendment and whether elected representatives in provincial assemblies are aware of or indifferent to the hardships of their constituencies.
Concluding its appeal, the Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party urged the governments of all three provinces to eliminate the financial burdens imposed by the new traffic regulations so that people can “breathe a sigh of relief.”