Latest news with #Ajrak-themed
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Cultural number plates
In a province where broken roads, rotting garbage, parched taps and overcrowded buses dominate the urban landscape, the Sindh government's decision to roll out Ajrak-themed number plates feels both tone-deaf and misplaced. While the cultural significance of Ajrak is undeniable, using it as a cosmetic overlay for a decaying transport system is, at best, a distraction and, at worst, a smokescreen. The criticism from opposition parties over this move is not without merit. With only 400 buses to serve Karachi's 35 million people, rampant loadshedding and mounting health hazards from uncollected waste, one must ask: is a redesign of vehicle registration plates truly the most urgent concern? It appears the government is preoccupied with style over substance. To make matters worse, the rollout was haphazard and lacked any meaningful public awareness. Citizens only learned about the new plates after being stopped and fined by traffic police. If the government insists on pursuing such initiatives, it must at least ensure a well-communicated and phased rollout with a clear timeline. Sudden crackdowns without preparation only breed confusion. Motorcyclists across the city report being stopped repeatedly, not for traffic violations, but for the absence of new plates. This has quickly devolved into yet another avenue for petty bribery. When thousands already ply the roads with unofficial or duplicate plates, how will this new policy succeed unless the rot within enforcement agencies is addressed first? Rather than wasting administrative energy on a fee-based initiative that adds little value to public welfare, the government must realign its priorities. Rebuilding civic infrastructure and eradicating corruption from its institutions would be a far more meaningful tribute to the people of Sindh than a culturally themed licence plate. Without systemic reform, this campaign will become just another futile exercise that will only deepen public resentment. The government must understand that real progress lies not in superficial symbolism but in tangible improvements to people's lives.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- 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
4 days ago
- 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.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
New number plates: small traders decry ‘aggressive' traffic police drive
KARACHI: Leaders of the All Pakistan Organisation of Small Traders and Cottage Industries Karachi have urged the Chief Justice of Sindh to take suo motu notice of what they term a 'broad daylight robbery' of Rs8 billion, being extracted from Karachi's citizens and traders under the pretext of replacing motorcycle number plates with newly designed Ajrak-themed ones. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday by President Mehmood Hamid, Vice President Javed Abdullah, Syed Naveed Ahmed, and General Secretary Usman Sharif, the trader leaders said that the new number plate campaign has turned into an excuse for bribery and exploitation by police. They called on the judiciary to protect citizens from this rampant misuse of authority. They alleged that the Sindh government has started collecting Rs1,850 per motorcycle for new number plates. They said without paying a briber of Rs2,500 to agents, obtaining these plates is nearly impossible. 'This is despite the fact that at the time of purchase, the government already collects an advance tax on motorcycles, which includes the cost of number plates. Charging citizens twice is unlawful,' the statement said. They further alleged that around 3.2 million motorcycles in Karachi are being targeted under this scheme, and that a crackdown has already begun on the megacity's roads, with traffic police reportedly stopping and fining riders aggressively. 'Traffic police have left all other duties and are now only focused on confiscating motorcycles and issuing challans,' they said, accusing officers and officials of looting the public with both hands. They expressed outrage over reports that applicants who submitted requests for the new plates last year have yet to receive them, while the enforcement drive continues unabated. Describing the entire process as unjust, they demanded an immediate halt to the fines and confiscations, calling the ongoing penalties and detentions 'oppressive.' The trader representatives emphasised that motorcycles are the primary mode of transport for the megacity's poor and lower-middle class, including small business owners who use them to transport goods. 'Petrol prices are already sky-high. Now traders are forced to carry goods on their motorcycles due to lack of alternatives,' they said. They alleged that traffic police are using the new number plate issue as a pretext to harass and extort riders. 'They pounce on motorcyclists like vultures and even search their pockets,' they said. Warning of serious protest, they stated that if these 'oppressive decisions' are not withdrawn, traders will lay siege to the office of the DIG Traffic and will not end the protest until their demands are met. Criticizing the state of public transport, they said the government thinks the problem has been solved by running just 200 to 300 buses in a city of 35 million. 'The public is already suffering due to the transport crisis. Now, banning Qingqi rickshaws on 20 main roads of Karachi has made life more difficult and pushed thousands into unemployment,' they said. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
