Fact-check: Punjab driving license without test claim is false, website is fake

A message circulating on WhatsApp groups and on social media in Pakistan claims that residents of Punjab can apply for a driving license online without appearing for a driving test through a website called "dastakpunjab.online".

The claim is false. The website is fraudulent and impersonates the original Punjab government's web page.

Claim

On January 9, a graphic began doing the rounds in WhatsApp groups in Pakistan claiming that people living in Punjab can now apply for a driving license online by paying a fee through a website, https://dastakpunjab.online, using Easypaisa or JazzCash.

The graphic further claims that applicants using the link will not be required to appear for a driving test.

The website leads to a page titled “Driving License Management System” and claims to be part of a vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Fact

The website is fake and has no connection to the Punjab government or the traffic police, according to an official and a digital media expert who spoke to Geo Fact Check.

The official Punjab government website for services such as duplicate driving licenses or renewals is “dastak.punjab.govt.pk”. This official website uses the government domain “.govt.pk”. In contrast, the fraudulent website impersonating government services operates under the domain “dastakpunjab.online”.

The actual government website can be viewed here.

Muhammad Usman Qureshi, spokesperson for the Punjab traffic police, also told Geo Fact Check over the phone that several fake pages and websites are impersonating official government services. He said that “dastakpunjab.online” has already been identified by his department for defrauding people.

Usman explained that individuals applying for their first driving license are required to physically visit traffic police centers for biometric verification, photographs, video recording, and a driving test. “This process cannot be conducted online,” he said.

Additionally, Anees Qureshi, an open source intelligence analyst at Bytes for All in Islamabad, told Geo Fact Check that the bogus website operates on a “.online” domain, which is commonly used by low cost hosting providers and is frequently exploited for scam and fraud operations.

He added that such websites are involved in financial fraud and identity theft. They collect sensitive information including CNIC numbers, front and back images of identity documents, driving license photographs, and phone numbers. At the final stage, users are asked to transfer money through Easypaisa.

Verdict: The claim that the Punjab government is issuing driving licenses without a driving test through the website or app “dastakpunjab.online” is incorrect.

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