Sometimes even one incident is proof enough that a startup is not living up to expectations. However, when it comes to ride-hail services, multiple incidents have yet to shake up the user safety features from the said service providers.
Shanzeh Rehman, a young Pakistani development professional reported her passport, national identity card, iPhone, dollars, and prepaid Mastercard missing. This followed an inDrive ride home from the airport, raising fresh questions about ride-hailing accountability in Islamabad.
inDrive came with a revolutionizing ride-hailing idea in the market, disrupting competition with a negotiable price feature that lacked earlier. However, there is no real-time helpline and no emergency support that can provide any concrete help in real time. There is just an online form that they urge users to fill, and there is no guarantee that your valuables will be retrieved ever.
Rehman said on LinkedIn:
inDrive does not have a customer support helpline where you can reach out for immediate assistance and instead one needs to fill out forms hoping for them to get back to you.
The fact of the matter is that Rehman’s incident is not a independent event. Multiple users on social media and ride-hailing forums in Pakistan recount similar frustrations with inDrive’s support channels when attempting to report lost items or address theft complaints, noting a lack of real-time help or immediate escalation paths.
Complaints are endless: On Trustpilot (2025 reviews), users report filing complaints about stolen items or harassment with no response for weeks (e.g., one lost a phone in Casablanca September 2025 with no help). Google Play reviews echo: “Terrible service… Customer support is useless and doesn’t even try to solve the problem.”
A Lahore user in 2025 reported a driver vanishing with Rs45,000 in goods, as inDrive allegedly remained silent despite police involvement.
Following the reported loss, Rehman said:
I reported this incident to Kohsar f7 police station last sunday and have been visiting the police station daily, there has been no FIR, no investigation, and no urgency, only delays and indifference. Mind you, there are only 2 suspects who they have to investigate
Authorities encourage passengers to file complaints through appropriate channels, including the FIA Public Complaint Portal, which accepts reports related to theft and fraud. However, with no concrete steps taken afterwards, this advice seems more like a corporate necessity than anything.
The woman’s social media posts resonated widely, sparking discussions about traveler vulnerability, ride-hailing platform responsibilities, and policing effectiveness.
Comments note that incidents involving ride-hailing services often put a spotlight on how digital platforms handle disputes and theft reports, particularly when foreign travel documents and financial instruments are involved. In response, some riders suggest double-checking belongings before leaving vehicles and documenting trips for easier verification when reporting losses.
The most relevant comment read:
indrive does give driver details and also the vehicle plate number I believe, you could use that to trace the driver, should not be that difficult.
Secondly, there is the flipside to your post, how honest was the driver ? Can’t just blame the institutions alone. If it was left in the vehicle and not dropped elsewhere, he could have contacted the passenger too… our institutions are made of people from within us, no one comes from outside to build them.
Do we have a road and transport authority in Pakistan, that manages all the commercial/non commercial vehicles ? Do they enforce to put security cameras in such app driven vehicles ? … I guess it is about time, they should, for the sake of both driver and the passenger.
As this specific case continues through official channels, Pakistanis have no proper channels to get broader customer expectations around service accountability. They need to have safety measures to support rapidly growing app-based transport markets. They also need government institutions to properly help people in such situations.
It also emphasizes the importance of clear support mechanisms and responsive law enforcement when essential personal documents and valuables go missing.
The incident occurred shortly after she represented Pakistan at a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime conference in Doha, according to her social media account and interviews with people close to the situation.
In a related development, authorities have taken notice of wider allegations of misconduct linked to ride-hailing services. A recent report notes that federal oversight bodies summoned executives from ride-hailing apps, including InDrive and Yango, over sexual harassment allegations and consumer safety concerns, calling for stronger protections and accountability measures for passengers. These summons reflect mounting pressure on ride-hailing platforms to improve reporting mechanisms, real-time support, and user safety policies as digital transport becomes increasingly central to urban mobility in Pakistan.
Rehman concluded the post with a harsh reality check, which begs the question whether inDrive is slowly eroding any faith in such services for user safety.
How am I suppose to advocate for these very institutions on international forums when this is my lived reality?