Islamabad starts crackdown on fancy number plates, violators face vehicle impoundment

ISLAMABAD: The Excise Department of Islamabad has intensified its campaign against vehicles with unauthorized number plates and has ordered a large-scale operation in the federal capital to stop the use of non-standard and fancy number plates on vehicles.

In this regard, Director General Excise Islamabad Irfan Memon has issued strict instructions to the field teams of the department to take immediate action against the violators. He clarified that only the number plates issued by the Excise Department are allowed to be used and any other plate is unacceptable under the law.

During the review meeting, the DG Excise directed the authorities to increase their operations across the city. He ordered that vehicles using non-standard or fancy number plates should not only be penalized heavily but also be immediately removed from the road. The crackdown will target vehicles using plates with unique designs, modified formats, or personalized inscriptions that are different from the standard format approved by the Excise Department.

“The authorized number plate of the Excise Department is the only valid number plate on vehicles in Islamabad,” DG Irfan Memon said. “Any vehicle found violating this rule will face stiff penalties including imprisonment on the spot.”

He further stressed that the aim of the campaign is to enforce the law uniformly and ensure that all vehicles display plates as per the prescribed format. Irfan Memon appealed that citizens are urged to remove any fancy or unauthorized number plates immediately to avoid fines and impoundment of vehicles.

Officials believe that the use of non-standard number plates complicates the identification of vehicles, especially during the process of traffic checking, surveillance and investigation. This, in turn, poses a security threat in the capital, where verification of vehicles is very important for law enforcement agencies.

The department has observed that some vehicle owners opt for decorative plates with stylized fonts, logos or personal names, which deviate from the official design. According to the excise department, such plates are illegal and will not be tolerated on the roads.

Inspection teams have been deployed in various parts of the city to effectively enforce this directive. These teams will inspect vehicles on the spot and impose fines on violators. Persistent violators may face further legal action, including seizure of vehicles until compliant plates are installed.

DG Irfan Memon clarified that no relaxation will be allowed in this operation. He said that fancy number plates are not allowed on the roads under any circumstances. “We will ensure strict compliance of this policy to maintain discipline and standardization in vehicle registration display.”

The excise department has also launched a public awareness campaign urging residents to adhere to government regulations. Citizens are being reminded through media and public messages that the use of substandard number plates is not only a violation of traffic laws but also leads to potential legal complications.