The nightmare of the queue

Trying to get a car registered is a nightmare, especially in Islamabad. You join a long queue and after waiting for one hour find out that either you are in the wrong queue or some document is missing. There are many more queues to be joined. This system is there because the corrupt bureaucracy wants to force ordinary citizens into hiring agents/touts. Our leaders are in a position to do something, but they do not care. To expedite the matter an agent has to be hired, who charges a hefty fee of Rs6,000 or more – most of which is recycled back into the deep pockets of the staff of the Excise and Taxation Department. If you do not hire an agent, it will take you three days of standing in a queue to get the job done. To make matters worse, there are no reserved windows for women and senior citizens.

It is suggested that the system be made digital. Every person registering a car may fill in the data from documents already held by s/he from the comfort of their homes or offices, just as we do for a visa application. And after that all they would need is to submit the documents in a one-window facility.

Shabbir Ahmad

Islamabad