PESHAWAR, Sept 8: The excise and taxation department has launched a campaign against motorists using unregistered or personalised number-plates, it is learnt. The drive follows a recent approval of a proposal by NWFP Governor Ali Jan Orakzai to penalise such motorists, official sources said.

Excise and Taxation director-general Nasir Khan said the campaign had been launched after promulgation of an ordinance against vehicles not displaying computerised numbers issued by the department.

He said heavy fine would be imposed on violators to stop misuse of vanity numbers.

According to law, motorists not displaying the registered computerised number-plates would be fined Rs10,000 and those using unregistered vanity numbers would be fined Rs25,000 and their vehicle would be impounded. The DG said personalised number-plates were introduced in June 2004 and vehicle owners were allowed to apply for them on payment of Rs25,000 fee.