Major Update About Change in Ajrak Number Plates Policy

Sindh Excise and Taxation Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla has said the decision to enforce security-featured Ajrak number plates will not be reversed under any circumstances.

Speaking to a private news channel on Wednesday, the minister confirmed that the Sindh government has been issuing these security-featured plates since 2021, and they remain mandatory for all vehicle and motorcycle owners.

Chawla dismissed criticism linking the plates to ethnic politics, accusing certain “linguistic groups” of politicizing the matter. “These tactics are being used to spread division,” he said, adding that the Ajrak is a cultural symbol of Sindh and should not be viewed as offensive.

The number plates also feature images of Mazar-e-Quaid and the official Sindh government logo.

In a separate news, the enforcement of the Ajrak number plates has been challenged in the Sindh High Court by social activist Faizan Hussain. The petition lists the Secretary of Excise and Taxation, DIG Traffic, and the Motor Vehicle Registration Wing as respondents.

Hussain argues that the switch to Ajrak plates has caused significant public inconvenience. The new plates cost Rs. 1,850 for motorcycles and Rs. 2,450 for cars, a move that has also sparked public criticism.