Latest news with #Ajrak


Business Recorder
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
‘I had to skip work again': Karachiites struggle with Ajrak number plates process
KARACHI: Muhammad Jamal bought his Alto in 2022 through a bank loan, expecting the excitement of car ownership to be matched with smooth formalities. But three years later, he still doesn't have an Excise-issued number plate. 'I don't even know if the plate will be delivered to me or to the bank,' said Jamal, frustrated. With his original documents locked with the bank until the loan matures, and the Excise office requiring those same papers to issue the plate, Jamal finds himself at a bureaucratic dead end. He's not alone. Across Karachi, from business owners to delivery riders, ordinary citizens are caught in the confusion and delay caused by the Sindh government's drive to replace old number plates with new, Ajrak-themed ones. While officials argue the move is part of a broader Safe City initiative, people say the process has been anything but safe or smooth. Here's how to apply for new Ajrak design number plates online Umair Alam, an entrepreneur, also took his car out of the showroom in 2022 and registered it soon after. Since then, he's heard little more than what he called 'broken promises'. 'They told me the number plate would come by April 2025. Then in May, I followed up, and now they're saying July,' he told Business Recorder. Alam paid for registration once, but when the government introduced the Ajrak plates mid-process, he was told to pay again. Abid Hussain, a delivery boy who had come to the Excise office to apply for a number plate, said that was his second visit to the office. 'I had to skip work again, but I couldn't apply today either due heavy rush,' he lamented. On the other hand, Muhammad Qaiser, a private employee, told Business Recorder that he had preferred to apply online. 'However, after applying online, I neither received a payment confirmation SMS nor any information about when the number plate will be delivered,' he said. Qaiser said the tracking ID was only showing whether the plate had been printed or delivered. 'It does not specify when it will actually be received.' He added that there was no home delivery option available for online payments. 'At one point, I saw a courier option, but when I clicked it, it turned out to be invalid.' Two office for a population of over 20 million Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, has a population of around 20.3 million as per Census 2023. Yet, currently there are only two Excise offices - one at Hassan Square and the other in Clifton - to offer services related to vehicles registration and new number plates. Number plates with Ajrak design: only Excise-issued plates are valid, says minister When the scribe visited one of the two offices, several people were seen complaining about the shortage of counters and staff. They said establishing only two registration offices for such a large city was 'incomprehensible' and imposing a strict deadline on top of it was 'irrational'. The citizens called for an increase in the number of registration offices and an extension of the August 14 deadline. Agents were also seen taking advantage of people's plight outside the Excise Office. The scribe, not disclosing the identity, asked an agent standing outside the office how much he would charge to get the number plate work done. The agent responded that it would cost Rs10,000 for a car and Rs7,000 for a bike, with a delivery time of one to one and a half months. Meanwhile, not far from Excise offices, local shops continued to make duplicate number plates despite Sindh Excise and Taxation minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla's warning that only Excise offices could issue the new Ajrak design number plates and those issued by outside agents or shops would not be considered valid. A local craftsman who makes duplicate number plates told Business Recorder that most of his customers were students or delivery riders. According to the craftsman, people believe that police enforcement is limited to major roads, while students mostly ride their bikes in neighborhoods, so they prefer duplicate plates. He also mentioned that a duplicate plate for a bike costs around Rs500 to Rs600, whereas the official excise plate costs nearly Rs2,000. 'Due to limited financial resources and time, riders opt for duplicate plates.' Why new Ajrak design number plates? Earlier this month, Excise minister Chawla, explaining why Ajrak number plates were important, said the Safe City Project could not succeed until the security-enhanced number plates issued by the government were fully implemented. Talking to Business Recorder then, the minister ruled out the use of old or the number plate manufactured in open market/shops. Sindh extends deadline for Ajrak number plates until August 14 Emphasising the use of Ajrak number plates, the minister described the features of the number plate adding that the plates included threads in the background, 3D holograms, and barcodes. The Safe City cameras would also be able to read the plate number in night, he added. Chawla stated that the excise department had launched three different colored number plates: white plates for private vehicles and bikes, yellow plates for commercial vehicles, and green plates for government vehicles. He mentioned that the fee for vehicle number plates—whether government or commercial—was set at Rs2,450, and Rs1,850 for two wheelers.


Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Sindh govt spox fires broadside at MQM-P
Sindh government spokesperson Mustafa Abdullah Baloch stated "it is disappointing to see Farooq Sattar of the MQM-P attempting to politicise a policy that represents and benefits all citizens of Sindh." He said that "the introduction of vehicle number plates featuring the Ajrak motif is not a revenue-generating measure, but a cultural initiative coupled with reform in our vehicle registration system." Baloch claimed that "for years, authorities have struggled with easily tampered, fake number plates, making it difficult to trace stolen vehicles, or maintain accurate vehicle databases. The new plates have enhanced security features and are aligned with international practices." He deemed MQM-P's criticism "not only baseless, but politically motivated." Further, he argued that, "instead of acknowledging that Karachi will benefit from a regulated, secure vehicle registration system, MQM-P is using cultural identity as a tool to sow conflict." He stated "we want to move towards a digital and secure vehicle registration system, one where the data of each vehicle is integrated into a platform accessible by authorities." Honour killing against Islam: MQM-P Deputy Parliamentary Leader of MQM-P in the Sindh Assembly, Taha Ahmed Khan, condemned the murder of a couple in Balochistan who had chosen to marry of their own will. "This is an extremely tragic and condemnable incident. Our Constitution does not permit anyone to take a life in the name of honour," said Taha. He further stated that this act is not just a crime against individuals, but an attack on women's freedom, human dignity, and fundamental rights. Taha said that murder in the name of honour is completely against the teachings of Islam.


Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
JI team urges DIG Traffic to address public grievances
KARACHI: A high-level delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Sindh, led by provincial chief Kashif Saeed Sheikh, has met with DIG Traffic Karachi Pir Muhammad Shah, voicing serious concerns over worsening traffic conditions. According to the JI on Tuesday, the delegation raised important issues such as repeated accidents involving dumpers, and what they described as the 'humiliation of citizens' under the pretext of enforcing new vehicle number plates. The JI delegation, which included Karachi Chief Munem Zafar Khan, Hafiz Nasrullah Channa, General Secretary Muhammad Yousuf, Allama Hizbullah Jakhro, Muslim Pervez, and Zahid Hussain Rajpar, criticized the ongoing traffic crackdown in various parts of the city. They highlighted how traffic police were issuing what they called 'unnecessary and excessive challans,' particularly in relation to the rollout of new number plates bearing Ajrak patterns — a cultural symbol of Sindh. 'Ajrak represents Sindh's heritage, but using it to justify economic exploitation and public humiliation is unacceptable,' said Kashif Saeed Sheikh. 'The traffic police's behaviour has crossed a line — this is no longer about traffic regulation but about infringing on people's dignity.' Sheikh emphasized that JI respects constitutional and civil law but asserted that the authorities' handling of the number plate issue constituted a violation of basic human rights. He questioned the imbalance between Karachi's deteriorating road infrastructure — which he likened to 'Mohenjo-Daro' — and the imposition of enforcement measures resembling those in Dubai or Europe. 'This mismatch is an injustice and a form of oppression,' he said. The delegation claimed that the current enforcement drive had become a new source of financial and emotional strain for Karachi's residents, who are already reeling under inflation and rampant street crime. They alleged widespread corruption in the issuance of number plates and a lack of transparency in how fines are administered and collected. 'Changing a number plate shouldn't require months of follow-up, police harassment, and heavy penalties,' said Munem Zafar Khan. 'The real issue lies in systemic corruption and the unaccountable behaviour of the traffic police, not the number plates themselves.' In response, DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah acknowledged the grievances and assured the delegation that his department would develop a strategy to provide relief to the public. He pledged to address concerns related to traffic congestion, plate issuance delays, and public treatment — especially under the framework of the city's broader Safe City initiative. During the meeting, the JI delegation also offered condolences to the DIG on the recent passing of his father, praying for the departed soul's elevation. The JI leadership urged the provincial government to reconsider the number plate policy, end the heavy-handed fines, and prioritize reforms that bring transparency and dignity back to traffic enforcement in Karachi. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
Sindh extends deadline for Ajrak number plates until August 14
The Sindh government has extended the deadline for vehicles bearing Ajrak-themed number plates until August 14, while police have been instructed not to issue challans for such plates during this period. Provincial Minister for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Mukesh Kumar Chawla announced while speaking to the media in Karachi on Monday. 'Ajrak represents the cultural identity of Sindh and will remain on number plates,' he said. Number plates with Ajrak design: only Excise-issued plates are valid, says minister 'Some people seem to have developed an unnecessary fear of Ajrak, but it is a part of our heritage and also serves as a security feature in the new plates.' Chawla clarified that while no traffic tickets will be issued for Ajrak number plates until the new deadline, other traffic violations, including riding without a helmet or lacking proper vehicle documentation, will continue to be penalised as per standard procedures. Here's how to apply for new Ajrak design number plates online He also reiterated that modern number plates integrated with the Safe City project are mandatory for all vehicles. Earlier, concerns were raised about the design and legality of Ajrak-themed plates introduced as part of the province's cultural branding. The government has defended the move, citing both cultural significance and improved security features in the design.


Express Tribune
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Express Tribune
Karachi activist challenges new number plate fines in SHC
Listen to article A petition has been filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC) challenging the issuance of traffic fines for not displaying new Ajrak-themed number plates on motorcycles, Express News reported. The petitioner, social activist Faizan Hussain, argued that the directive from the DIG Traffic for strict enforcement has led to heavy fines rather than public awareness campaigns. He maintained that this approach is placing undue financial pressure on citizens amid high inflation. The petition calls on the court to restrain traffic police from issuing challans until a more accessible compliance mechanism is implemented. Earlier, he filed a petition in the SHC challenging the Sindh government's enforcement of Ajrak-themed number plates, citing public inconvenience, financial burden, and a lack of legal justification. He argued that vehicles are being unfairly penalised and called for the plates to be issued free of cost. The petition also highlighted delays, public harassment, and the rise of counterfeit plates due to the new policy. The Sindh government had issued a final deadline for vehicle owners to replace their number plates with the new design in January. Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation, Mukesh Chawla, announced that after April 3, vehicles displaying anything other than the newly issued plates will no longer be accepted. 'After April 3, only the newly issued Ajrak number plates will be considered valid in the province," he said. To streamline the process, he added that traffic police will be provided counters at civic centres and facilitation centres for a one-window operation. 'Traffic police check posts will also ensure that vehicles receive their new number plates within the stipulated time,' Chawla said. Additionally, the minister mentioned that vehicle transfers and tax payments for those with outstanding fines will be made conditional on the payment of these fines.