Punjab is facing a severe shortage of computerized number plates and smart registration cards for vehicles.
Over 650,000 people are waiting for their number plates and registration cards after paying the fee. Adding insult to injury, the traffic police have been imposing traffic fines and challans on vehicles that don’t have computerized number plates.
The company designated to print the registration cards has stopped its operations amid delays in payment of dues by the excise and taxation department.
The company agreed to resume a print a limited supply of the plates after receiving assurance from high ranked officials. Given all this chaos, Punjab Minister for Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control Hafiz Mumtaz has issued a show cause notice to excise dept secretary.
It bears mentioning that the issue of unsteady supply of number plates dates back to December 2018.
The directorate general of excise office has informed the secretariat about the procedural issues but the former excise secretary did not pay attention. Excise Secretary Alam Mehsood was replaced by Nabeel Ahmed Awan on the orders of the chief minister.
More than 300,000 applications for registration and number plates are pending at the department.
via Tribune
