LAHORE: Extending the scope of the crackdown under the National Action Plan (NAP) to illegal use of number plates, the Excise and Taxation Department has requested the chief minister, the governor and the members of the National and Punjab assemblies to “strictly abide by rules”.

In what appears to be the first occasion when a government department has directly addressed the chief executive of the province and the governor asking them to follow the ‘state laws’ to avoid any inconvenience during the crackdown, the letter underscores the need to make NAP a success. The crackdown on use of illegal number plates is in full swing all over the province.

“Our department wrote on March 29 to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana to ensure use of licensed number plates on their official and private vehicles,” Excise and Taxation (Motors) Director Mohammad Asif told Dawn.

Recently, he said, a team of the department had removed ‘illegal number plates’ from two vehicles of the Punjab home secretary besides cars of some police officers.

He said a letter had also been dispatched to all the Punjab assembly members to follow the same rules and regulations to contribute to the success of NAP.

The Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit had launched a province-wide special drive against illegal use of number plates under NAP with the support of the state departments including the excise and taxation.

Mr Asif further said the department is daily issuing 4,000 computerised number plates according to the scheme. “It is going to bring into the net all the housing societies, clubs, markets, transport operators, marriage halls, schools, colleges, hospitals and state departments to ensure use of licensed vehicles,” he said.

“The amendment to Act 2016 was passed with your kind support from the provincial legislature and the enforcement of the said law is our national responsibility,” reads the letter dispatched to the CM, governor and the members of provincial and national assemblies.

The letter stated that the use of non-licensed number plates is a cognizable offence under section 97A of Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965.

“A person other than the person authorized by the government who prepares or manufactures a number plate or a screw which is to be provided by the prescribed authority or registering authority under section 25, or displays such number plate or screw on motor vehicle shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year but which shall not be less than seven days or with fine which shall not be less than fifteen thousand rupees or both,” reads the letter issued by Mr Asif.

He also clearly indicated in the letter that the use of the computerised number plates was required under law. “It is necessary to point out here that the usage of the computerized licence number plates is necessary for tracking, tracing and eventually curbing the menace of terrorism,” the letter says.

It says it is also an ancillary element of the Punjab Safe City Project for ensuring better situation of law and order, e-ticketing and fine collection from traffic rules violation.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2017