Excise and Taxation Department, Islamabad has launched a reform package for buyers and sellers of the capital city.
According to the details, the new package is developed to give peace of mind to consumers when they buy a used car. Now no one will be allowed to sell a car by just providing a file and open transfer letter. Sellers and buyers need to be present physically in the excise office and to ensure transparency further, they have to give their biometrics at the time of transfer of the vehicle.
“Even if someone lives far away from excise office, we have taken the help of Nadra. Islamabad residents will be able to provide their biometrics for a vehicle by visiting nearby Nadra office,” said Muhammad Bilal Azam, Director Excise and Taxation, Islamabad.
Furthermore, the new reform package also includes an online mechanism where consumers will be able to upload all their documents from the comfort of their homes. At the excise office, the government has also established a one-window system for the swift transfer of vehicles.
There were many cases reported in Pakistan where buyers lost their money due to the fraudulent sale of vehicles. Earlier, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) busted a gang involved in making fake files of cars and selling stolen cars through online marketplaces. The new vehicle transfer system will ensure that no car is being sold in the capital city without biometrics.
The vehicle transfer mechanism in Pakistan is very cumbersome and involves bribes and wastage of time. There are many cars in Punjab which are still on open transfer letters, and despite warnings, people are not transferring their vehicles due to old school systems. Vehicles on open transfer letters are also hindering the e-challan system of safe city authority. Other provincial excise departments should also follow suit and devise an online system with biometrics similar to Islamabad excise.