In a major step to tackle car theft, Islamabad’s Excise and Taxation Department is rolling out advanced tracking technology to make vehicle theft nearly impossible in the city.
Director Excise Bilal Azam revealed that “third number plates” — tamper-proof, high-tech tags — will soon be installed on vehicles. These plates will remain detectable by Safe City surveillance cameras even if the original plate is removed or changed, allowing authorities to trace stolen vehicles instantly.
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“These special plates can’t be removed or altered like traditional ones,” Azam said. “Even if a thief removes the main number plate, the car will still be visible to our system.”
The department is also launching a fully digital vehicle transfer system. Citizens will be able to transfer car ownership using mobile apps with biometric and facial recognition, eliminating paperwork and physical visits.
This initiative will also help track vehicles with unpaid taxes or fake registrations in real time.
Azam added that the Excise Department collected a record-breaking Rs. 23.34 billion in taxes last year, largely due to expanded use of digital services.
“Our aim is to use technology to its full potential to prevent car theft and streamline vehicle-related processes,” he said, calling the reforms a game-changer for road safety and law enforcement in Islamabad.
