The Sindh government’s enforcement of newly designed Ajrak-themed number plates has been legally challenged in the Sindh High Court, amid rising public complaints over cost, delays, and vehicle impoundments.
Social activist Faizan Hussain submitted a petition on Wednesday, naming the Secretary of Excise and Taxation, the Motor Vehicle Registration Wing, and the DIG Traffic as respondents. The plea argues that the government’s directive to replace existing number plates with Ajrak-themed ones has created unnecessary hardship for vehicle owners.
The new number plates cost Rs. 1,850 for motorcycles and Rs. 2,450 for cars. According to the petition, citizens had already paid for their existing plates, and the state’s demand for additional payments lacks legal justification. The petitioner also criticized the policy of impounding vehicles without the new plates, as outlined in a recent government notification.
The plea further alleges that traffic police and registration authorities are using the policy for personal gain, turning the plate change into a “business venture.” It claims this has led to public harassment, with delays in issuing official plates while counterfeit versions are easily available from roadside vendors.
The petitioner urged the court to direct the government to provide Ajrak number plates free of charge to all eligible vehicle owners. It also called for an immediate halt to the fining and impounding of vehicles lacking the new plates.
The court is expected to take up the matter in the coming days as public discontent over the policy continues to grow.