Overview
- An official notification dated January 29, 2026 appointed Mazhar Nawaz Sheikh as DIG Traffic Karachi and reassigned Syed Pir Muhammad Shah.
- The order directs Shah to report to the Services, General Administration & Coordination Department until further instructions.
- Unnamed sources linked Shah’s removal to congestion that reportedly hindered fire brigade and rescue vehicles during the Gul Plaza blaze, a claim not formally confirmed.
- The fire earlier this month killed at least 80 people and intensified scrutiny of emergency response and traffic control in the area.
- Shah had gained prominence with the TRACS e-challan rollout on October 27, an AI-enabled system that has faced criticism over Karachi’s infrastructure readiness.