LAHORE: Punjab Ombudsman retired Maj. Azam Suleman Khan has issued directions to the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control (ET&NC) department and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) to develop a viable system for the swift distribution of car number plates at the district level.
Khan observed the incumbent process of issuing plates is inadequate, and therefore, an organised mechanism needs to be established. Additionally, he instructed the ET&NC to provide a monthly report about the issuance and supply of number plates to members of the public.
According to a statement by the spokesman of the Office of the Ombudsman, the complaints received by the agency regarding the problems faced by the public due to the delay in the issuance and delivery of vehicle number plates, and taking own motion notice of the news items, Khan had sought a report from the secretary of ET&NC that despite the payment of the fee, how the number plates were not being provided to the vehicle owners.
In this regard, the ET&NC informed Khan’s office that it entered into an agreement with the NRTC for the issuance of vehicle number plates in 2020, and initially, issued the purchase order for the supply of two million number plates to it.
Later, two purchase orders were also issued for the issuance of three million more number plates.
ET&NC further informed that the own motion notice by the ombudsman has resulted in the provision of a schedule by the NRTC for the supply of more license plates.
According to this, the supply of number plates was in progress and 152,086 plates had been prepared and supplied to the excise department between December and January.
The spokesman said that the issue of providing number plates to over 2.2 million vehicle owners across the province would soon be resolved, in accordance with the instructions of the Ombudsman.
