Sindh Excise Department Grapples with Number Plate Demand

The Motor Registration (MR) Wing of Sindh’s Excise and Taxation (E&T) Department has processed a substantial 60,000 applications for new Ajrak-designed motorcycle number plates within the initial three weeks of July. Conversely, approximately 90,000 number plates for four-wheeled vehicles, prepared since 2022, remain unclaimed at their offices.

Vehicle owners appear reluctant to collect these available plates, potentially because they intend to sell their vehicles and prefer to transfer this responsibility to the subsequent owners.

The surge in motorcycle plate applications corresponds with a campaign by the Sindh traffic police focusing on stringent enforcement of traffic regulations. These regulations mandate that vehicles possess original, security-enhanced number plates—costing Rs1850 for motorcycles and Rs2450 for cars—as well as a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) smart card, priced at Rs1600.

Many middle-class motorcycle owners express frustration due to the crackdown. However, those who have previously paid a plate registration fee may find some relief, as this amount will be subtracted from the price of a new plate.

The E&T department has extended the deadline for obtaining the new number plates to August 14, with the possibility of further extensions.

According to officials from the Sindh Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control Department, they have registered 9 million vehicles, including both two- and four-wheelers, since the 1970s.

Since April 14, 2022, approximately 2 million security featured number plates, including those featuring the Ajrak design, have been issued.

The National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), operating under the Ministry of Defence Production, is overseeing the Karachi Safe City (KSC) project and vehicle number plates.

NRTC’s advanced high-resolution cameras possess the capability to read and detect the unique security features present on these number plates.

Addressing the High Volume of Applications

An official from the department noted that while 295 bike owners applied for number plates in May 2025, the number rose to 10,000 in June. The first three weeks of July saw an additional 61,000 applications, with projections estimating that the total could exceed 100,000 by the end of the month.

“How is it possible to complete the orders at one time?,” he questioned.

“We have a capacity of preparing between 2,500 to 5,000 number plates of both two and four wheelers a day. We have to manage number plates of the old/backlog and new/advanced registered vehicles. Owing to substantial pressure, we are printing plates in Karachi, Lahore and Haripur,” he stated.

To mitigate the backlog, a 24/7 center was recently inaugurated at Boat Basin. Existing centers at Awami Markaz on Shahrah-e-Faisal and the Civic Centre are operational from 9 am to 5 pm, excluding Saturdays and Sundays.

Recently, the Sindh Excise and Taxation Department established a counter at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) to facilitate journalists. This service has been available to KPC members since Monday.

Services available include payment of annual car tax and issuance of number plates for both cars and motorcycles.

Officials anticipate that the system will be fully streamlined within the next one to two years, negating the need for additional centers in the city. The E&T department also provides online facilities for number plate applications and tax payments.

To combat staff shortages, the E&T Department’s motor registration wing has absorbed around 200 employees from other departments. This includes staff from the property tax department, whose responsibilities were transferred to local bodies approximately a year ago. The government has temporarily suspended professional tax and entertainment duty for a year to ease financial burdens on the public, reassigning staff from these units to the motor registration (MR) wing of the E&T Department.