Is Punjab Govt Really Introducing a New Biometric System?
Last month Shahzada Saleem, President Lahore Car Dealers Federation, claimed that the Punjab government had accepted their demand to change the biometric system for car registration and transfer. Talking to a news channel, Saleem said a delegation met caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and presented its request to change the biometric system in Punjab. “We have been asking to implement Islamabad’s Biometric System replacing the current system in Punjab,” Saleem said.
Saleem claimed that the chief minister had ordered the relevant ministry to replace the whole system within seven days.
“Proposals” From Excise
An Urdu newspaper has now reported that the caretaker provincial government is preparing to introduce a new biometric system. The report claimed that Punjab Excise and Taxation Department has presented two suggestions for the new system:
- The first proposal is that car dealers will take the seller’s biometric, but the challan for change of ownership will not generate in Excise,” the report claimed. The car dealer can use seller’s biometric for two months, and after this period, he will pay a specific amount of fine for using this biometric. “After four months, the biometric will expire, and the dealer has to get a new one,” the report claimed.
- The second proposal stated that the car dealer would get biometrics from the seller while he would submit his biometric as a keeper instead of a buyer, and ownership would not be changed. In 30 to 90 days (the time period not decided yet), the ownership will be changed to the new buyer, while the seller’s biometric will not be needed.
The Excise department presented the suggestions during a meeting headed by caretaker Minister of Industry S.M. Tanveer. DG Excise Muhammad Ali and other top officials attended the meeting. As per sources, the government rejected the Excise’s second suggestion and started preparing a summary for the first one. After that, it will be sent to the cabinet for affirmation. Meanwhile, the cabinet will decide the amount of fine to be paid by the dealer during the above-mentioned two months.
Excise Official’s Statement
We contacted a Punjab Excise and Taxation Department official to confirm the news. He told PakWheels.com that the new system is under consideration, and nothing is finalized yet. It means we must wait for an official notification from the government and department.
The critical thing to notice is that it is not the jurisdiction of a caretaker government to change laws, directly raising questions on the validity of this new system. In short, it will take some time for a clear picture; till then, just wait and hold your horses.