Will Motorcyclists Be Required to Get M-Tag in Islamabad?

The capital administration is preparing to introduce a mandatory e-tag system for all vehicles entering or travelling within Islamabad as part of a new mechanism designed to identify residents, daily commuters and newcomers more accurately.

Under the plan, vehicles that already carry a motorway M-Tag will not be required to obtain an additional e-tag, as those tags will be integrated into the new system. In the first phase, the administration is issuing e-tags only for vehicles, while motorcycles will receive M-Tags in the next stage.

Once fully implemented, both e-tags and M-Tags will be mandatory for residents’ vehicles and for all vehicles entering Islamabad. Officials said the new system will help authorities distinguish between cars owned by Islamabad residents, those used by commuters from nearby cities and those belonging to newcomers.

They noted that number plates can be replaced or forged, but fake e-tags will not work because they cannot be read by the system. Each tag will contain verified information about the vehicle and its owner.

The Islamabad Excise Department has already launched a pilot project. Tags are being issued at Kachnar Park in I-8 and at the Excise Office in H-8. The Frontier Works Organisation continues to issue M-Tags, while the capital administration will begin issuing e-tags from November 18 to residents and regular commuters.

The number of e-tag issuance points will increase from the same date. Officials expect the tag to cost around Rs. 250. For now, ten locations have been designated for vehicle tagging, and the service will gradually expand across the city.

The tag will be compulsory for every vehicle entering or using Islamabad’s roads, regardless of where the vehicle is registered. To obtain a tag, motorists must present their original CNIC and original vehicle registration documents.