How can overseas Pakistanis register, transfer vehicles online through PakID app | The Express Tribune

The Islamabad Excise and Taxation Department has introduced a new digital facility that allows overseas Pakistanis to register and transfer vehicles through the PakID mobile application, eliminating the need for embassy visits or power of attorney documents.

Director of Excise Bilal Azam told the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on Sunday that the initiative aims to simplify vehicle-related processes for expatriates. “Now, for registration and transfer of the vehicle, they can download the PakID app. From there, they can record their biometrics, and we will ensure the vehicle’s transfer,” he said.

Azam said the biometric submission through the app would serve as proof of identity, removing the need for a separate Transfer Order (TO) form. However, he urged both sellers and buyers to ensure proper documentation. “When you sell any vehicle, please ensure that you sign your transfer letter and hand it over to the purchaser,” he said, adding that both biometric verification and a signed transfer letter remain legal requirements.

In a related move, the Excise Department has launched a crackdown on token tax defaulters in Islamabad, suspending and cancelling registrations of several vehicles after repeated public notices and newspaper advertisements.

“We have issued notices to defaulters from 1980 to 2000 and, after due process, cancelled their registrations,” Azam said. A reinstatement process is available for affected vehicle owners seeking to regularise their status, he added.

The digital facility is part of a broader reform drive within the Islamabad Excise and Taxation Department aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and convenience for both domestic and overseas Pakistanis.