Sindh Excise and Taxation (E&T) Department is currently under fire for delaying the issuance of over 4 million number plates.
According to a recent report, E&T department officials told the Sindh ombudsman that 4.364 million motorbike owners and 308,963 4-wheeled vehicle owners (commercial and non-commercial) are still awaiting the delivery of their number plates.
The official highlighted that around 1.34 million bikes and 297,000 cars are currently driving around on the roads without number plates. Due to finite resources, the department could only issue 53,000 number plates for four-wheelers and 207,000 for two-wheelers in a year, he added.
E&T department informed that a recent cabinet meeting had decided to raise the current funds to Rs. 1.17 billion to end the backlog. The department added that the finance department is yet to release funds for that purpose. As soon as the payment arrives, the department will begin production of number plates on a larger scale.
Meanwhile, the ombudsman instructed the E&T department to gather district-specific details and plan a swift solution to the problem.
