Sindh: Cameras on Our Roads

A look at Sindh’s Traffic Regulation and Citation System and what global experience teaches us about automated enforcement

By Ali Nawaz Rahimoo

When the Sindh government flipped the switch on its first AI-integrated traffic cameras on October 28, 2025, Karachi entered a new chapter in road governance. The Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS) is more than an e-challan mechanism; it is a test of whether technology, transparency, and public trust can finally make our roads safer. By linking thousands of CCTV cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, and speed-detection devices with the Excise & Taxation Department, NADRA, and online payment gateways, TRACS promises to shift traffic policing from discretionary handshakes to data-driven accountability.

What TRACS promises

A digital, auditable system: motorist challans can be paid or contested online, reducing paperwork and curbing personal discretion that has long shaped traffic policing in Pakistan.

Stronger owner-vehicle linkage: integration with NADRA and Excise databases ties challans to vehicle owners, even if the driver escapes at the scene.

Convenience and accessibility: online portals and TRACS Sahulat Centers aim to simplify payments and contestations, widening public access and reducing queues at courts.

Lessons from global experience

From Amsterdam to Karachi, the camera story has a simple principle: speeding and red-light violations are recorded automatically, removing the need for roadside negotiation. The first automated traffic-camera tests appeared in the Netherlands in the mid-1960s; by the early 1990s, the United Kingdom had rolled out thousands of Gatso speed cameras, contributing to reductions in speeds and fatalities.

Today, more than 90 countries use some form of automated enforcement in their road-safety strategy. A typical camera setup includes:

Radar or LIDAR sensors to measure velocity

Image-capture systems to photograph the vehicle (and sometimes the driver)

ANPR software to read the vehicle’s registration plate

A violation triggers a digital entry: the registered owner receives a notification by text or email and can settle the fine online, saving hours in traffic courts and queues.

Effectiveness and caveats

Decades of global evidence suggest automated enforcement reduces crashes near camera sites. A landmark review reported reductions of 8–49% in all crashes and 11–44% in fatal or serious injury crashes in the vicinity of cameras. Critics note occasional increases in minor rear-end collisions as drivers brake abruptly for cameras, but the overall safety benefits remain substantial.

Revenue versus safety is a common public concern. The Sindh government emphasizes reform over revenue, but transparency will be essential. A quarterly public dashboard should track violations, payments collected, and crash trends to keep the system accountable. In the public sphere, the principal benefits are predictability and fairness: automation minimizes on-the-spot discretion and the opportunity for harassment, while time stamping and speed data leave little room for argument.

Privacy and governance

With great power comes great responsibility. TRACS must safeguard privacy by encrypting footage, restricting access, and limiting footage usage to traffic offenses. Public confidence hinges on fair procedures for contesting disputed challans. Early glitches—such as plate misreads, glare errors, or system downtime—must be promptly addressed through transparent review mechanisms.

Data-driven policymaking

The World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Road Safety notes that while more than 90 countries have adopted automated speed or red-light enforcement, much of the developing world still relies on manual policing. Pakistan now stands at a turning point. Every time-stamped violation creates a live map of traffic behavior, revealing patterns in speeds, red-light running, and high-risk zones. Such insights can guide engineering fixes, signage improvements, and signal-timing adjustments. Police resources can then be redeployed where human presence matters most—accident response, complex enforcement, and public awareness campaigns.

Practical considerations for TRACS

Camera placement and timing matter: poor placements or outdated signal timings can undermine trust and effectiveness. Regular audits and independent reviews should be standard.

Data interoperability: ensure seamless data sharing among TRACS, NADRA, and Excise for accuracy and timeliness.

Contests and due process: provide clear, accessible processes for challenging challans, with swift, fair adjudication.

Public communication: maintain transparent reporting on violations, resolutions, and safety trends to build legitimacy.

Global examples in brief

China: extensive red-light camera networks and ANPR systems

India: red-light and speed-camera enforcement in multiple cities and states

Japan: expanding use of traffic cameras as part of broader road-safety surveillance

South Korea: active market for automatic traffic enforcement

Saudi Arabia: Saher automated traffic-enforcement system

Turkey: TEDES Traffic Electronic Control System (speed and red-light cameras)

Kuwait: reported declines in violations after installing smart cameras and mobile radars

Conclusion: a new chapter for Pakistan’s roads

TRACS represents a bold step toward a safer, more transparent traffic culture. The system’s success will depend on careful implementation, robust privacy protections, transparent governance, and responsive public engagement. If designed with accountability at its core, TRACS can reduce crashes, deter risky behavior, and restore public trust in traffic governance. Pakistan stands at a pivotal moment: the choice is to embrace automated enforcement with rigor and openness, or risk undermining trust through flawed rollouts and unchecked expenditure.

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Ali Nawaz Rahimoo, based in Umerkot, Sindh is a social development professional. He can be contacted on anrahimoo@gmail.com