MINGORA: Representatives of the local bodies, including the district nazim, have demanded handing over control of the ongoing registration process of the non-custom paid (NCP) vehicles in Swat district to the local government.

They have also sought inclusion of cut vehicles, the ones illegally assembled with scrap parts, in the process.

“There must be annual fee on each NCP vehicle and the process must be handed over to the local government whereas the cut or assembled vehicles should also be included

in the registration process,” said Swat district nazim Mohammad Ali Shah.

Meanwhile, registration of over 200,000 NCP vehicles, including cars, pick-ups and trucks, is underway. According to Swat police, about 100 vehicles are being registered daily in Mingora.

Swat police, excise dept have started registration of over 200,000 such vehicles

The registration process for NCP vehicles is being monitored by the Swat police, army officials and the excise and taxation department of Swat.

Ikram Khan, an official in the local excise and taxation office, said that no cut or illegally assembled vehicle would be allotted registration.

In the first phase, only NCP vehicles of Babuzai tehsil are being registered and then the process would be extended to other six tehsils of Swat, he said.

“We issue 50 to 100 tokens to the owners daily after verifying the documents. The owners then take their vehicles for physical examination by the technical team of excise and taxation department, Swat,” said Imtiaz Ali Khan, in-charge Rahimabad police station.

“The vehicle is then examined to check its engine and chassis number and make sure that the vehicles must not be cut or assembled from scrap.

Data of the vehicle is then fed into computer to make it available in the entire Malakand division,” he said, adding that so far 507 token had been issued.

After completing the verification process the vehicle is allotted a computerised registration number making it fit to ply roads in all the seven districts of Malakand division.

Iqbal Ahmad, a resident of Mingora, appreciated the effort and said that all the available NCP vehicles must be registered, but the government must take steps to stop entrance of more vehicles.

“The district administration and police must take steps against those who assemble vehicles from scrap parts as daily 15 to 20 assembled vehicles come out on roads which are illegal,” he told this scribe and said that over 20 NCP vehicles entered Malakand division daily.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2017