Sindh Fails to Deliver Ajrak-Themed Number Plates to Thousands of Citizens

With the October 31 deadline for obtaining new Ajrak-themed number plates approaching, vehicle owners across Karachi are facing long waits and growing frustration.

Many who applied months ago to replace their old plates are visiting the Civic Centre and Executive Centre in Clifton, only to learn that their new plates are still unavailable due to a backlog stretching over four months.

Applicants who had submitted requests for the new retro-reflective plates early this year said they were disappointed after being told that their number plates had yet to arrive. The Excise and Taxation Department had previously set the end of October as the cutoff date for compliance.

Officials warned that if the deadline is not extended, both buyers and sellers of vehicles will be required to appear in person for biometric verification to complete ownership transfers.

According to department officials, number plates for applications submitted by June have mostly been delivered or collected, though more than 50,000 plates still remain unclaimed at the Civic Centre.

A senior excise official said the department is now processing up to 10,000 applications daily — a sharp increase from the earlier 300 to 400 — and that 650 new Ajrak-themed plates are being dispatched to the centres every day.

For those still waiting, the official explained that applicants can visit the centre to get a stamp on their receipt reading “number plate not issued,” confirming that their case remains pending.