ISLAMABAD  -  A retrospective imple­mentation of heavy fines on late registra­tion of local as well as imported vehicles by the Islamabad Excise and Taxation Depart­ment has forced citi­zens to go from pillar to post. The registration of a vehicle is mandatory to be registered within 60 days of coming on the road but some of the car purchasers were not getting their ve­hicles registered within a given time frame due to multiple reasons — mostly due to market mechanisms.

Few months ago, the Islamabad Capital Ter­ritory Administration had secured amend­ments into its legisla­tion and all of sudden imposed heavy fines on unregistered vehicles — leaving car deal­ers and the citizens in shock. As per new rules, the car owners will have to pay Rs.60000 to Rs.600000 for late registration between in third and fourth months (61-120 days), Rs.90,000 to 900,000 in fifth and sixth month (120-180 days) and Rs.182500 to 1825000 after six months (more than 180 days).

The said fines are also made proportional to the engine capacity of the vehicles and fine increases as compared to the engine capacity. However, the car dealers and showroom owners have rejected this impo­sition of fine and raised their voice but it was no use. A couple of meet­ings were held between the representatives of car dealers associations and district administra­tion but nothing could be materialized yet. In background discus­sions, people involved in the buying and sell­ing of cars informed that the majority of unregistered vehicles are imported cars as there was a practice that showroom owners import vehicles from abroad but did not get registered to keep them utilized for getting good offers from the buyers.

“In market if an im­ported vehicle is reg­istered once it comes in secondhand or used car,” a motor dealer Arif Khan informed, adding; “This was one of the major reasons behind keeping vehicles un­registered for extended periods of time. Besides this market myth, some of the individual citi­zens could not get their cars registered due to unavoidable circum­stances but the new fine imposed by the Ex­cise Department hurt both car dealers and in­dividuals equally. Presi­dent All Pakistan Car Dealers Association Punjab chapter Haji Tariq while talking to the Daily the Nation has criticized the role and attitude of incumbent deputy commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon, who is the di­rector general excise and taxation as well.

“We went to him for a meeting but seemed unserious towards our issue,” Mr. Tariq said, re­calling: “We asked him to get prayers of the thousands of affected people by resolving this problem but he replied rudely that I am not here to get the prayers of poor people.” Haji Tariq said though it is affecting our businesses but we are not against the law in totality. He said we want it to be im­plemented in the right way. President All Paki­stan Car Dealers Asso­ciation Punjab chapter argued that the govern­ment should provide relaxation for a month because retrospective implementation of a law is not justified.