KARACHI: Nadra to install new system in city: Car theft and smuggling
By Ihtasham ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) is all set to launch a hi-tech, anti-car smuggling and anti-car theft system in Karachi next month at a cost of Rs578 million. Informed sources said insurance companies were likely to slash car insurance premium with the introduction of the Vehicle Identification Tracking System in Karachi by Nadra in early September.
“We would also be starting the collection of utility bills through the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Karachi from next month in addition to launching a very effective tracking system for cars,” said the Chairman of Nadra, Brig.(retd) Saleem Ahmed Moeen.
He told Dawn on Wednesday that an average of 20 cars were stolen daily in the city which needed to be checked for which Nadra had been mandated to carry out what he termed a ‘very important task’ by the government.
Initially, he said efforts would be made to eliminate or drastically minimise the smuggling and theft of cars, trucks and motorcycles in the city and once certain success was achieved, the project would then be launched in other cities as well. He said Nadra could not start this project in Islamabad due to one reason or the other. It would now be undertaken in Karachi with full support and backing of the provincial government, he said.
Nevertheless, it is alleged that corruption and a car mafia had reportedly blocked Nadra’s efforts previously to launch anti-car theft programme in Islamabad where an average of two vehicles were stolen daily. Nadra is believed to have uncovered a unique scandal involving some local automobile manufacturers who were rolling out cars with the same chassis and engine numbers.
Since, he said, car snatching had become frequent in Karachi, the government allowed Nadra to establish 20 points from where VINTAG chip would be issued to car owners, and each outlet would have the capacity of registering over 1,000 vehicles a day.
The system, also known as Vehicle Monitoring and Interception System, will provide a chip to all the ID card holders possessing cars to address the issue and that the Sindh home department will supervise the system, he said.
“There will be chip reader at all the focal points, and any car that will not have a chip will be intercepted by the police,” the chairman of Nadra said. Technology wise, he said, this system had met all the international standards.
Responding to a question, he said that there would be 27 points in Karachi where utility bills could also be paid without any hassle. He said the ID card would have to be swiped in a machine to get a bill to be instantly paid then and there. There would also be a thumb scanning device so that nobody could misuse the facility.
Giving the details, he said that Nadra had signed an agreement with the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to install bill payment machines in Karachi. This kiosk system offered a convenient and low-cost alternative to bill payments and other financial transactions.
