Sindh warns officers against using ‘govt’ plates on unauthorised cars

KARACHI: The Sindh Government directed strictly all employees not to use government number plates on any unauthorised or private vehicles.

Through an official letter Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Haider Shah following the directions of the Sindh Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah instructed all officers and their subordinate employees to avoid fixing the official Sindh government number plates on any unauthorized, non-registered, and private vehicles.

The Chief Secretary warned all employees that any officer found implicated in this act would not only be apprehended under criminal law but would also undergo proceedings for misconduct and insubordination under service rules.

In the same directive, the chief secretary said that it has been observed by the competent authority that some government officers are using fake government number plates on unregistered government vehicles or in some cases using government number plates on private vehicles.

This act on the one hand is tantamount to criminal negligence and a cognizable offence under law, and on the other hand, serious misconduct on the part of all delinquent officers.

He directed that no officer should affix a government number plate on any unregistered vehicle.

The CS warned that in case of non-compliance with this instruction, such an officer shall not only be apprehended under relevant criminal law but will also face proceedings for misconduct and insubordination under Sindh Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 1973.

He also directed the departmental heads to communicate the instructions to all their administrative wings and attached offices and other entities falling under their administrative control for strict compliance.

This development followed after a provincial minister noted a large vehicle, with an official Sindh government number plate, being driven by a young man on the highway. Upon suspicion, he asked the local police to check the vehicle.

The police found that the vehicle in question was using the number plate of a government vehicle under the use of his father.

The young man was the son of a Sindh government secretary who had affixed the official number plate of his father’s departmental vehicle on his vehicle.

The vehicle has since then been seized and legal action has been initiated against the officer.

The minister informed the CM Sindh of the practice, who directed the CS to issue formal instructions to address the issue.