Islamabad: Authorities in the Pakistani
capital have decided not to issue the vehicle registration
numbers US-911, UK-911 and UK-77 to anyone due to their
perceived links to the 9/11 terror attacks in the US and the
7/7 London bombings.
The decision was made by the Islamabad Capital
Territory's Excise and Taxation Office, which is currently
allotting VIP numbers from the US and UK series.
Officials realised that the three registration numbers
could "bear a resemblance to the fateful incidents of 9/11 and
7/7", the Daily Times newspaper quoted its sources as saying.
The administration thought these numbers "could raise
disputes" and decided to seal them, the report said.
An ETO officer said "many people" were asking for
these numbers and were even willing to pay an extra amount or
bribe officials to get them.
He said many applicants approached the ETO through
influential persons to get some VIP numbers.
Now that the three numbers have been sealed, nobody
except Deputy Commissioner Amer Ali Ahmed can issue them, the
officer said.
Sharif Gul, an officer at the ETO, confirmed that he
had been instructed that some particular numbers of the US and
UK series should not be allotted to anyone and that the
numbers have been sealed.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, June 23, 2011, 13:59