The Karachi administration has extended a key traffic restriction. The ban on motor cab rickshaws operating on 25 major city roads has been extended by two months. This decision aims to ensure smooth traffic flow and reduce urban congestion.
The Commissioner Karachi issued a formal notification under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The extension, recommended by the traffic police, will remain in force from today until February 21, 2026.
The primary objectives are to control traffic rush, minimise accidents, and improve overall traffic management in the metropolitan city. The ban applies to 1+2 and 1+4 motor cab rickshaws. They are prohibited from operating on major arteries, including:
- Shahrah-e-Faisal
- I.I. Chundrigar Road
- Shahrah-e-Quaideen
- University Road
- Rashid Minhas Road
- Mauripur Road
- Shahrah-e-Pakistan
Other restricted areas include routes such as Hub Road, Korangi Road, Orangi Road, the Super Highway to Malir Halt, and Surjani to Sohrab Goth. The commissioner stated that strict action will be taken against violators. Police are authorised to register cases under Section 144 against those who defy the ban.
Authorities describe this as part of broader efforts to make Karachi’s major roads rickshaw-free. The goal is to enhance traffic discipline across the city.
Read: Punjab Bans Qingqi Rickshaws on 5 Lahore Highways
This extension follows earlier government action. In July 2025, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon defended a similar ban on Qingqi rickshaws.
He addressed a petition filed by the Qingqi Rickshaw Association in the Sindh High Court. Memon clarified that the ban was not citywide but applied only to specific thoroughfares for traffic and security management. “Our stance is clear, such decisions fall under the administrative domain of the Sindh government,” Memon stated during a press conference.