A serious case of administrative negligence has surfaced at the Multan Traffic Police Driving Licence Branch, where a man received a driving licence bearing a woman’s photograph instead of his own.
The affected citizen, Asghar Sawal, said he applied for his driving licence in Multan in 2025 after completing mandatory training. He paid Rs 7,000, passed the driving test, and completed all formalities. When the licence arrived, he discovered that it carried a female photograph.
Asghar, who currently works in Karachi, said frequent travel to Multan is difficult. Despite this, he contacted the Multan Driving Licence Branch to report the mistake and request a correction.
Instead of acknowledging the error, officials reportedly shifted the blame onto him. They informed him that he would need to pay an additional Rs. 650 to amend the record. They also told him the correction process could take up to four months, even though the mistake originated within the department.
Speaking with ARY News, he said, “I was shocked and frustrated,” Asghar said. “It was clearly their error, yet I am being asked to pay and wait months for a fix.”
The incident has triggered serious concerns about data management, record accuracy, and accountability within the licensing system. A driving licence serves as an official identity document, and such an error can create legal and practical difficulties during traffic checks, travel, or identity verification.
Asghar has appealed to the Inspector General of Punjab Police to personally intervene and order an immediate correction without charging any additional fee.
The case has also prompted wider public concern over the reliability of the driving licence system and whether similar errors may be affecting other citizens without their knowledge.
