Senator Calls Motorocycle M-Tag System “Open Route for Terrorists”

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication held a meeting in which lawmakers discussed the installation of M-Tags on motorcycles and more.

Members of the committee strongly criticized the district administration’s policy of installing M-Tags on motorcycles.

Senator Talha Mahmood warned that stolen M-Tags could create serious security risks. He said anyone could steal an M-Tag and potentially use it to carry out an attack.

“You are giving terrorists an open route for attacks,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s security environment is different from other countries.

The Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, Irfan Memon, responded that similar systems are used globally for motorcycles. However, Senator Talha Mahmood maintained that the situation in Pakistan cannot be compared to other countries.

Senator Kamran Murtaza also raised concerns, stating that the system could create more problems if large numbers of M-Tags are stolen from motorcycles.

He warned that if a terrorist acquires a motorcycle with an M-Tag, it could allow them to pass through security checkpoints and reach sensitive locations.

Officials informed the committee that no complaints of stolen M-Tags had been reported so far. The Deputy Commissioner noted that during the terrorist attack on the Islamabad Judicial Complex, the attacker had arrived on a motorcycle.

Senator Saadia Abbasi suggested conducting a logical study of the motorcycle M-Tag system before continuing its implementation.

Officials said that if an M-Tag is stolen, it can be reported through the helpline 1313. The Deputy Commissioner acknowledged that loopholes may exist, but stressed that implementing the system remains necessary.

The committee chairperson also noted that people had been standing in long queues to install M-Tags on their motorcycles.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, improvements have recently been made in the installation process. He said that earlier, around 1,000 motorcycles were being fitted with M-Tags daily, but the number has now increased to about 7,000 per day.