One sees a number of cars on the roads these days having number plates with (usually feudal) family names like Bhutto-6, Hoti 1, Durrani 1, Laghari 1 etc. Some other vehicles driving around in the city have no numbers and instead have a slogan like "Zinda Hay BB". Is this a legal or an illegal practice. Still others go around with their numberplates completely obscured by the obnoxious plaque announcing their status; MNA, MPA, Nazim etc. Yet others have no numberplates but a UAE number or a fake number plate like AFR2008. Are all of these legal? The police does not stop these vehicles as they typically belong to big feudals, noted politicians or big-time gangsters. Can the police chief give a public clarification on what is legal and illegal in numberplates? Can he also ask his police to act upon violations in this regard and apprehend the culprits without any consideration of their status or background. -IKRAM ILLAHI, Karachi, via e-mail, January 6.