KARACHI: Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-H) Chairman Afaq Ahmed on Wednesday said that the Sindh government has the authority to change the design of number plates but it must offer a free exchange policy, allowing citizens to replace old plates without any additional charges.

`The registration fee we pay is for a lifetime. Any change should be free of cost. We believe that this number plate scheme is just another ploy to extort money from the public in the name of security,` he said while addressing a press conference at his DHA residence.

He also accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of using culturalsymbols to stir ethnic tensions in the province.

The MQM-H chief accused the ruling party of deliberately fanning hatred among the people of Sindh to divert attention from poor governance.

`If even half of the Rs3.45 trillion Sindh budget was spent on development, this province could surpass any region in Pakistan. But 90 per cent is looted and only 10pc is spent,` he alleged.

He also condemned the government`s track record on public safety initiatives, referring to the Safe City projeet, where a city of `35 million` has fewer than 700 surveillance cameras.

`While smaller cities like Lahore have over 8,000, and Kabul has 90,000 surveillance cameras,` he added.