KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has approved a plan to link vehicle number plates with owners’ CNICs, media reports said.
Under the new system, motorcycles, cars, and other vehicles will have number plates registered in the name of the owner. When a vehicle is sold, the owner will keep the number plate as personal property.
The Sindh Excise Department said only the person whose CNIC is on the number plate will be considered its legal owner. Buyers will need to register their vehicles online and get a new number plate in their own name.
If an owner wants to return a number plate to the government, they must visit the excise office to cancel the registration officially.
Officials said the move aims to reduce vehicle-related crimes, including theft and terrorism, by making ownership tracking stricter.
Moreover, the federal government and all four provinces have shared their registered vehicle databases to improve coordination and verification.
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Earlier, CM Murad Ali Shah had instructed the Excise & Taxation Department to develop the CNIC-based system, test it, and make the necessary legal amendments. He added that the system will not be launched immediately and that follow-up meetings will be held to ensure smooth implementation after testing.
Similar System Coming in Punjab:
A few days ago, Punjab Excise & Taxation Department announced it will launch a similar modern system linking vehicle registration numbers directly to owners’ CNICs.
Under this system, when a vehicle is sold, the previous owner can keep the registration number, and the buyer will get a new number from the Motor Registering Authority. Unused numbers can be reserved for up to two years, but a late application may incur extra fees.
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The department advised the public to immediately transfer vehicles into their own names. From September 1 onwards, an additional transfer fee will apply.
Vehicle owners who have sold vehicles but buyers have not yet updated the registration are urged to contact helpline 1035 to suspend the old registration and avoid problems.
Officials said this system will boost public confidence in keeping personal registration numbers and will also help law enforcement in traffic management and security operations.
