Multiple posts on social media claim that the Punjab government has sharply increased the registration fees for motorcycles, electric bikes, arms licenses, new electricity connections for homes, and water charges for farmers.
Some of these claims are false, while others are misleading.
Claim
On April 16, a social media user on Facebook posted a message in Urdu claiming the Punjab government had raised several fees:
- Motorcycle registration fees increased from Rs1,500 to Rs7,400
- Electric bike registration from Rs50 to Rs2,865
- Arms license fees from Rs4,000 to Rs48,000
- New domestic electricity connection from Rs7,600 to Rs24,000
- Annual irrigation water charges (abiana) for farmers from Rs600 per acre to Rs2,200 per acre
- Motorcycle fitness certificate fee will be Rs1,000 from July 1
The claims about increased fees for arms licenses, motorcycle registration, fitness certificates, water charges, and electricity connections are misrepresented. Here’s what we verified:
Arms licenses – Rs48,000?
Tauseef Sabih Gondal, spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department, told Geo Fact Check that arms licenses have not been issued since April 2024 due to an ongoing ban.
He added that since no new licenses have been issued, the fee has not changed either.
While the online posts claim the new fee is Rs48,000, Gondal clarified that before the ban (during the caretaker government in 2023), the fee was actually Rs50,000, not Rs48,000.
Motorcycle registration fee Rs7,400?
Amber Jabeen, spokesperson for Punjab’s finance, excise and taxation minister, told Geo Fact Check that no proposal to increase motorcycle or electric bike registration fees is under discussion.
She also shared a message from Umer Sher, the director general of the excise and taxation department, who called the online claims “speculation.”
While Asim Amin, the director of enforcement and audit in Lahore’s excise department, shared the official registration fee structure for motorcycles:
- Up to 70cc: Rs1,000
- 71cc to 100cc: Rs1,500
- 101cc to 125cc: Rs2,000
- 126cc to 150cc: Rs2,500
- Above 150cc: 2% of the motorcycle’s value
The website can be accessed here.
Thus, there was no flat rate of Rs7,400.
Amin also said that electric bikes currently receive a 95% exemption in both token tax and registration fees.
Motorcycle fitness certificates – Rs1,000?
A spokesperson from the Punjab Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (VICS) told Geo Fact Check that no official notification has been issued about charging Rs1,000 for motorcycle fitness certificates.
She added that it’s not yet confirmed whether motorcycles even need fitness certificates, as the VICS has received no orders to inspect them.
Geo Fact Check also reviewed the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, passed on March 4, and found that motorcycles are not included in the list of vehicles that require fitness certification.
Irrigation water charges – Rs2,200 per acre
Rao Muhammad Sohail Akhtar, the deputy secretary of the Punjab Irrigation Department, denied the claim. He said that no changes have been made to water rates since December 5, 2023.
He also shared the December 2023 notification, which shows:
- Rates range from Rs400 to Rs2,000 per acre, depending on the crop
- However, for state-owned lift irrigation, the rate was Rs2,250 per acre
New electricity connection – Rs24,000
Muhammad Saeed Raza, the public relations officer at Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), told Geo Fact Check that the claim of a flat Rs24,000 fee is inaccurate.
Current official rates were:
- Single-phase (3kW) meter: Rs11,000 + Rs3,660 security deposit
- Three-phase (5kW) meter: Rs40,000 + Rs6,100 security deposit
Verdict: The claims about increased fees for arms licenses, motorcycle registration, fitness certificates, irrigation water, and electricity connections are false or misleading. Official sources confirm that these fees have not been increased as claimed online.
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