Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government has decided to establish computerized facilitation points for car dealers and showroom owners in all district offices of the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department.
The decision is being considered a major step towards improving transparency, facilitating the automobile trade and modernizing public services in the provinces.
The announcement was made during a meeting with a delegation comprising Haji Bakht Mir Jan, Chairman of the All Pakistan Car Dealers Association of Small Traders, Maazullah Khan, General Secretary of the Association, and Ghulam Bilal Javed, Chairman of the All Pakistan Car Dealers and Importers Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the Provincial Minister for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Syed Fakhar Jehan in the chair here on Thursday.
The delegation discussed issues confronting car dealers and showroom owners, matters relating to the Excise Department, and proposals aimed at facilitating the automobile trade.
Director General (DG) Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Abdul Halim Khan, Excise and Taxation Officer-I Peshawar Faisal Khurshid Burki, and Excise and Taxation Officer-V Peshawar Masaud-ul-Haq were also present on the occasion.
The delegation urged the provincial minister to introduce departmental mechanisms for greater transparency in vehicle transactions, consider possible tax relief for the sector, and extend further cooperation to address issues being faced by the automobile trade.
Speaking on the occasion, Syed Fakhar Jehan said computerized facilitation points were being established at all district offices of the Excise Department to provide car dealers and showroom owners with easy access to vehicle transaction records, ownership and registration verification, official documentation, chassis verification and other essential services under one roof.
He further announced that dealers would also be provided dedicated online access through a specialized software platform, enabling them to instantly verify the complete particulars of vehicles before purchase and thereby ensuring greater transparency and confidence in vehicle transactions.
The minister said the Excise Department was committed to delivering modern, transparent and citizen-friendly services.
He informed the delegation that the procedure for obtaining Personalized Registration Marks (Personalized Number Plates) had been further simplified following the approval of the necessary legislation by the provincial cabinet.
Under the revised rules the first personalized number plate for any name will be available for Rs. 1.5 million, while subsequent number plates of the same name and series will be issued for Rs. 1 million each.
He further stated that lots comprising multiple number plates of a particular series could also be allotted to companies or individuals, creating new branding and promotional opportunities for businesses.
Describing the initiative as a valuable opportunity for the automobile trade, the minister said showroom owners and car dealers could now acquire personalized number plates bearing the names of their businesses or brands.
He also clarified that owners of personalized registration marks would retain ownership of their number plates even after selling their vehicles, and such registration marks could remain reserved in their names for up to three years without being attached to another vehicle.
Syed Fakhar Jehan assured the delegation that members of the car dealers’ community should feel free to approach Excise and Taxation offices for the resolution of their genuine issues, adding that every possible effort would be made to address their concerns on a priority basis.
The delegation thanked the provincial minister and appreciated the ongoing reforms, business-friendly policies and public facilitation initiatives undertaken by the Excise Department under his leadership.