The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA), in partnership with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), has made big efforts to eliminate fake and phishing websites which were fraudulently operating in the name of traffic e-challans. These websites were fraudulently taking money from the people in the name of official government websites. Over 100 fake websites have been found and blocked in this regard.
How the Fraud Worked
According to the officials of the PSCA, the fraud websites replicated the format and logo of the original and legal PSCA e-challan service. This misled the citizens to enter their vehicle information and make payments through the fraud websites. These payments were routed to the accounts of the fraudsters. This fraud had the effect of creating a loss of trust for the citizens among the traffic management systems.
Timeline of Action
This operation was recorded to have taken place on January 21-22, 2026. The work of the PSCA and PTA surveillance teams involved monitoring internet traffic/transactions, spotting suspicious internet sites, and blocking these sites immediately. This was done under the Punjab jurisdiotion to ensure that all internet fraud sites operating in Punjab had been disabled.
Public Advisory and Safety Measures
However, the authorities have advised citizens to refrain from making payments for traffic challans on dubious or unverified websites. It has also been clarified by the government that citizens are required to make payments for all traffic fines only through the official website of PSCA for traffic challans: echallan.psca.gop.pk, as well as the Public Safety App.
Legal and Administrative Actions
The above fact was furthered by the PSCA spokesperson while confirming that the operators of these spurious websites will be taken to legal and disciplinary purview. In the wake of zero tolerance, this will further discourage fraudsters from attempting the crime while saving citizens in future. The authorities are also on the trail of the origin for taking the culprits to task.
Importance of the Crackdown
It is pertinent to highlight the efforts and seriousness of the Pakistan government in protecting their citizens from cybercrimes and ensuring a safe online environment in the province of Punjab. A large number of fraudulent websites relating to the e-challan system have been banned by the Pakistan government to ensure a transparent environment and halt any kind of fraudulent activities being materialized over the electronic network.
