Blog

• Before applying, first clear motor vehicle tax dues
• E-transactions can also save drivers from exhausting visits to excise dept offices
• People asked to carry receipt of replacement of number plate while driving
• Officials admit backlog at excise and taxation offices yet to be cleared

KARACHI: As traffic police continue to issue eye-watering challans, to drivers and take strict action against vehicles not affixed with new Ajrak-designed registration number plates, people have complained that the Sindh government should have launched an awareness campaign to educate citizens about how to acquire the new retro-reflective number plates.

The awareness campaign is necessary keeping in view the cumbersome process and the limited capacity of the excise and taxation department to deal with hundreds of thousands of owners of commercial and private vehicles applying for new number plates.

Dawn has learnt that due to lack of correct information among the public regarding the required process and documentation for the issuance of new number plates, transfer of ownership, and smart cards, many vehicle owners are either compelled to make multiple visits to government offices or fall prey to “agents” operating near these facilities due to overcrowding at information desks.

“This is my second visit to this branch, but the registration still hasn’t been completed,” a woman told Dawn, who had come at the newly established executive motor registration facility in Clifton, along with her husband to transfer the ownership of her vehicle.

She added that during her last visit, she was not aware of the required Rs1,000 sale deed or e-stamp, along with the original file, claiming that no such information was available on the department’s website.

Dawn spoke to Jamshed Ali Memon, in charge of the facility in Clifton, to get information regarding what documents and steps are required for individuals looking to avail these services.

The official said that people seeking to avail any service related to their vehicle must first clear their tax dues.

“There is no need to visit any facility for this purpose,” he explained. “Car owners can pay their taxes online through the department’s official website or mobile applications,” he added.

Transfer of vehicle

The official said that generally, for the transfer of vehicle ownership — which is mandatory, otherwise the vehicle may be seized or a new number plate would not be issued — the original file must be brought along with the vehicle for physical inspection.

The buyer is also required to be physically present at the facility for biometric verification, he added.

In addition, a Transfer of Ownership (TO) form — which can either be downloaded from the official website or obtained at the facility — must be submitted along with copies of valid CNICs of both buyer and seller, and a Rs1,000 sale deed or e-stamp, which can be acquired from any branch of Sindh Bank.

When asked whether the seller is also required to appear for biometric verification, Mr Memon clarified that right now there is no condition for the seller to visit the facility — only a copy of their valid CNIC is required.

However, he added that in case where an individual is transferring the vehicle to their children (blood relation), the seller must be present for biometric verification to ensure that the transfer is being made with their consent.

Smart card

Now, if someone wishes to obtain a smart card against their old registration book, they are required to submit the original registration book along with the complete original file, with a filled-out form — which can be obtained from the facility — and a copy of their CNIC and required to pay Rs1,600 by using online payment or submitting challan in a bank.

Ajrak number plates

For those who have paid their taxes and have their vehicles registered in their name, there are two options to obtain the new Ajrak-designed number plates. The first option is to apply by visiting any facility nearby and the second is to apply online.

To do so, they need to visit the official website (https://excise.gos.pk) or mobile app, click on the “Quick Online Pay Taxes” option, and enter their mobile number along with the vehicle’s registration number. A new window will then pop up, allowing them to apply for a replacement number plate and selecting the facility to collect the number plate.

For four-wheelers, the fee is approximately Rs2,450, while for two-wheelers, it is around Rs1,850. The payment can be made through online banking or any supported digital payment platform or paying challan in bank.

For those who have already applied for the replacement of a number plate, they can check the current status by visiting the department’s official website and clicking on the “Check Your Number Plate” option.

And if you are lucky enough that your number plate has been delivered to your selected excise branch, you will need to bring the original file and old number plate regardless it was in any condition with you to collect the new Ajrak-designed number plate. However, if you had lost your old number plate then you need to apply for duplicate number.

Mixed signals confuse public

According to the excise ministry, the deadline for mandatory Nadra biometric verification for vehicle owners applicable to sellers has been extended till August 14.

However, many vehicle owners who had applied for replacement number plates months ago complained that they had yet to receive them.

In the meantime, a growing number of vehicle owners have turned to locally made number plates to avoid action by the traffic police, claiming that officers are allowing the use of white-background plates with Ajrak patterns until the originals are issued.

This has further contributed to the confusion and a communication gap between the two government departments, forcing vehicle owners to spend additional money on locally made number plates that resemble the government-issued ones.

Conflicting announcements

The traffic police, through their official social media platforms, have announced that only “government-issued or closely resembling number plates” will be accepted. Otherwise, vehicles will be subject to challans or seizure.

On the other hand, the excise department has maintained that aftermarket number plates will not be accepted under any circumstances, as allowing them would undermine the objectives of the Safe City initiative.

Responding to a question about the backlog at excise facilities in Karachi, Atif Ali Bhatti — in-charge of the motor registration facility at the Civic Centre — said that applicants who submitted requests for the new design number plates in mid-February had already received them or delivered at their selective branch. However, the backlog that developed afterwards had yet to be cleared as of the first week of July, he claimed.

Mr Bhatti also acknowledged a video circulating on social media in which traffic police personnel were seen encouraging people to use “government-issued or closely resembling number plates”.

He clarified that it is incorrect to use aftermarket plates — which lack any security features — as doing so would undermine the very purpose of the Safe City initiative.

He further stated that the newly designed number plates are embedded with multiple security features, enabling surveillance cameras to detect and read them clearly, even at night.

Show the receipt

The excise ministry has advised vehicle owners that if their new number plates have not yet been issued, they should carry the official receipt of the replacement of plates and present it to traffic police or any concerned authority when asked.

“If someone has the official receipt and the original old number plate installed to their vehicle, then morally, the traffic police should not issue a fine,” said ministry spokesperson Shabbir Ali Babar.

Speaking to Dawn, a traffic police spokesperson, Mr Sohail, said that if vehicle owners have been issued the Ajrak-themed number plates, they should install them. However, if the plates have not yet been issued, then owners may use aftermarket plates to avoid using fancy ones.

When asked about the excise department’s statement that until the new plates are issued, vehicle owners can install the original old number plate along with the replacement receipt, he said he was not aware of any such statement issued by the excise department and could not comment at this time.

Dawn attempted to get comments from the DIG Traffic Karachi but did not receive his response.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2025

PESHAWAR/SWAT: Two petitions have been filed with Peshawar High Court in Peshawar and Mingora (Darul Qaza), seeking an inquiry into several deaths in the recent flash floods in Swat district and the fixing of responsibility for the alleged negligence.

In Swat, a bench consisting of Justice Sabitullah Khan and Justice Qazi Jawad Ehsanullah issued notices to the respondents, including the provincial government, seeking their response to a petition, which called for the court’s orders for Swat’s district administration and tehsil municipal administration of Mingora to immediately remove illegal structures along the river banks and to halt excavations therein.

The petition is jointly filed by two citizens, Fayyaz Zafar and Fazal Khaliq, requesting the high court to direct the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 to develop a formal framework for the identification, training and equipping of local volunteers, who significantly contributed to the disaster response.

Advocate Shah Faisal Khan appeared for the petitioners and highlighted the severe consequences of the recent floods in the Bypass Fizagat area, emphasising alleged administrative negligence and failure in preventive measures.

Meanwhile, a citizen on Tuesday moved the high court in Peshawar for ordering a judicial inquiry into the “circumstances” that led to the deaths of multiple people during the recent floods in Swat, as well as a probe into the alleged misuse of Rescue 1122 vehicles by the provincial government for “political purposes.”

A resident of Charsadda, Amir Alam, filed a petition seeking directives for the law-enforcement and accountability authorities to look into the alleged misuse of Rescue 1122 vehicles and resources by the provincial executive for political purposes, and to proceed strictly in accordance with the law if cognizable offences were committed.

He requested the court to order a high-level judicial or commission-based inquiry to determine the circumstances that led to the failure of the disaster response system during the Swat floods of Jun 27, fixing responsibility on the negligent officers and public functionaries.

The petitioner sought the court’s directives for the provincial chief secretary and director general of Rescue 1122 to submit a detailed report regarding the current operational status of all rescue and disaster relief vehicles/ equipment and their lawful utilisation.

He also requested directives for the respondents, including the provincial government, to cancel all mining activities, carried out through auction or otherwise, in the River Swat.

The petitioner also sought orders for an independent audit and investigation into the recruitment process and resource allocation within Rescue 1122 to ensure transparency, merit and prevent political interference in emergency situations.

The petition, filed through lawyer Babar Khan Yousafzai, includes as respondents the provincial chief minister, its chief secretary, secretaries of mines and mineral, irrigation, relief and rehabilitation, local government and culture and tourism departments, the directors general of Rescue 1122 and Provincial Disaster Management Authority and KP inspector general of police.

The petitioner said that on June 27, flash floods struck Swat district resulting in the death of at least 18 people, including tourists from Punjab.

He added that the failure of Rescue 1122 and provincial authorities to respond timely and effectively caused unnecessary and avoidable loss of lives.

The petitioner alleged that over six months ago, the Rescue 1122 vehicles and other resources were “unlawfully diverted” by the chief minister for use in a political protest in Islamabad.

He added that those vehicles were confiscated by Islamabad’s police, severely hampering disaster preparedness across the province.

The petitioner contended that the PDMA operated under the KP Disaster Management Act, 2010, under which its resources might be used for disaster preparedness and response only.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2025