LAHORE: The Punjab excise and taxation (E&T) department on Monday launched a PAK-ID App for biometric verification of vehicles that aims at enhancing public facilitation, transparency and digital governance.

Developed in collaboration with Nadra and the Punjab Information Technology Board, this digital solution would empower vehicle owners – both within Pakistan and overseas – to verify ownership for vehicle registration and transfer in Punjab through an entirely online system.

With the introduction of the PAK-ID App, overseas Pakistanis will no longer be required to visit Pakistani embassies, submit attested affidavits or execute power of attorney for vehicle ownership verification. Vehicle owners can now complete biometric verification and Face ID authentication conveniently from their homes using a mobile application.

The Face ID feature is particularly beneficial for senior citizens, whose thumb impressions may have faded or changed over time.

PAK-ID App ends embassy visits, affidavits for overseas Pakistanis

The PAK-ID App was formally inaugurated at the directorate office of the excise & taxation department by E&T director-general Umar Sher Chatha. Senior representatives from Nadra and PITB were also present on the occasion.

Mr Chatha told a news conference that the department had been facing daily challenges related to biometric verification, resulting in delays in vehicle transfer processes. He highlighted that overseas Pakistani vehicle owners, in particular, were burdened with lengthy and complex procedures involving affidavits, verification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and attestations by Pakistani embassies. Additionally, the presence of ADR (Alternate Dispute Resolution) mechanisms had further complicated the transfer of vehicle ownership.

With the launch of the PAK-ID App, he emphasised that all manual, alternate and embassy-based verification procedures had been completely abolished. “This digital transformation has significantly reduced human intervention, streamlined workflows and enhanced transparency and efficiency across the system,” he asserted.

Terming the initiative a major public-friendly reform, he said citizens residing in remote areas of Pakistan as well as overseas would no longer need to visit excise offices or rely on agents or intermediaries. “Vehicle ownership transfer can now be completed from anywhere through biometric and Face ID verification,” he added.

Explaining excise & taxation department’s broader vision of delivering citizen-centric services at their doorsteps, Mr Chatha said the vehicle transfer fee collection had already been carried out through the E-Pay system, which was fully cashless, visit-less and paperless. “Once ownership verification and fee payment are completed, the vehicle transfer process is finalised within 48 hours,” he said.

In collaboration with Nadra, the DG (excise) said online verification of vehicle owners across all four provinces would lead to integration of provincial vehicle data at the national level.

He said the excise department was in the process of linking all relevant departmental data with Nadra to further strengthen digital verification and governance frameworks.

Nadra Chief Project Officer Rehman Qamar stated that the PAK-ID App was a secure, reliable and modern digital platform built on advanced biometric technology. He noted that the app would significantly enhance transparency, strengthen public trust and improve overall service delivery.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026