A case of administrative negligence has surfaced at the Punjab Traffic Police Driving Licence Branch in Multan, where a male applicant was issued a driving licence bearing a woman’s photograph instead of his own, according to a private media outlet. 

The affected individual, Asghar Sawal, said he applied for a driving licence in Multan in 2025 after completing the required training and passing the driving test. He paid Rs7,000 as part of the licensing process.

However, upon receiving the licence, he discovered that a woman’s photograph had been mistakenly printed on the official document.

Asghar, who is currently residing in Karachi for work, said travelling repeatedly to Multan was difficult for him. He contacted the Multan Driving Licence Branch to have the error corrected.

Instead of acknowledging the mistake, officials at the licence branch allegedly held him responsible and informed him that he would need to pay Rs650 to have the record fixed.

He was also told that the correction process could take up to four months, despite the error originating within the department.

“I was surprised and frustrated,” Asghar said. “It was their mistake, but they are asking me to pay and wait for months to fix it.”

The incident has raised concerns over data management, record-keeping practices and accountability within the Punjab Traffic Police’s licensing system. 

A driving licence serves as an official identity document, and such an error could create legal and practical complications for the holder, particularly during traffic checks, travel or verification procedures.

Asghar has appealed to the Inspector General of Punjab Police to intervene in the matter and order an immediate correction without imposing any additional charges.