Authorities in the Pakistani capital have decided not to issue vehicle registration numbers US-911, UK-911 and UK-77 due to their perceived links to the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States 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 Excise and Taxation Office 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.
