FOR a long time, thousands of registered vehicles in Karachi have been running with temporary number plates because permanent ones are not available.

Excise and taxation department officials and facilitators loitering around the Civic Center Vehicle Registration Department office say the reason for the non-availability of permanent number plates is the failure of the higher authorities to find a manufacturer and supplier of number plates.

The Sindh government has a full-time excise and taxation minister who is assisted by a number of secretaries and senior ofhcers,besideshundreds ofothersundry functionaries to help him.

In the presence of such a large staff, why is there so much incompetence, indifference and inertia, and why is the department`s apathy to the public plight being tolerated? Shouldn`t the minister concerned be asl