KARACHI: Over 1.6 million people have been waiting for the number plates of their cars and motorcycles since 2016, said a report submitted to provincial ombudsman on Wednesday.

Out of 1.6m number plates, as many as 1.34m were of two-wheelers and around 300,000 of four-wheelers, including commercial and non-commercial vehicles.

Sindh Ombudsman Aijaz Ali Khan had on March 8 took suo motu notice over a Dawn’s report about non-issuance of over 300,000 number plates since 2016 despite payment of requisite fee submitted to the excise and taxation department.

The ombudsman had issued directives to the excise and taxation secretary to submit a comprehensive report through its motor vehicle registration director on Wednesday.

Sources said that the ombudsman office had sought from the excise department year-wise details of pending number plates, district-wise data and what action or policy had been framed by the Sindh government for early issuance of the pending number plates.

It also sought a timeline for clearance of the backlog of the number plates.

On Wednesday, the excise officials filed a reply, but the ombudsman was not satisfied with it since it lacked the district-wise data and the policy to clear the backlog.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2022