Pakistan: Over 300,000 car buyers in Sindh wait for vehicle number plates since 2016

Karachi [Pakistan], February 27 : Over 300,000 car buyers in Sindh are waiting for vehicle number plates since 2016 despite depositing over Rs 300 million to the exchequer.
The issue came to the light during a meeting held recently between car dealers/importers and officials of the excise and taxation department, reported Dawn.
The excise department had already collected Rs 1,000 from each vehicle owner at the time of registration. For 300,000 vehicles, the excise department had collected more than Rs 300 million.
Automotive Traders and Importers Association (ATIA) chief coordinator Aijaz Ahmed, who was present in the meeting, told Dawn that non-issuance of the number plates had been lingering since 2016 and become a serious problem for car buyers.
A senior excise and taxation official told Dawn that vehicles' number plates with new design had been approved and the backlog issue would be ended in March.
The Sindh government is planning to introduce a new biometric system of registration and transfer of vehicles. He said the biometric system of registration and transfer of vehicles would be introduced at a later stage soon.
Ahmed of ATIA said new number plates with Sindh's traditional Ajrak's border on top of it were coming with increased rates of Rs 1,800 instead of Rs 1,000, reported Dawn.
The existing computer system had become outdated and was advised to be replaced with a new system.
The excise officials told the meeting that a software revamping project was already under the initial phases of procurement.