'Wazir 1' fetches Rs150 million in Peshawar as KP auctions personalised number plates

PESHAWAR (Web Desk) – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has generated significant revenue through the auction of personalised vehicle number plates, with several high-profile plates selling for tens of millions of rupees at an event held in Peshawar.

The auction, organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department, took place at Nishtar Hall on Tuesday, where personalised and choice number plates attracted strong interest from bidders. Officials confirmed that multiple plates were sold for amounts running into millions, highlighting growing demand for exclusive vehicle registrations.

According to officials, the highest bid so far was recorded for the number plate ‘Wazir 1’, which was sold for Rs150 million, making it the most expensive plate auctioned during the event.

The second-highest bid was secured by ‘Afridi 1’, which fetched Rs140.5 million. The plate was purchased by Javed Afridi, owner of Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi.

The third-highest bid was placed on ‘Khan 1’, a number plate bearing resemblance to the name of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. The plate was sold for Rs111 million and was purchased by PTI Member of the Provincial Assembly from Waziristan, Nek Muhammad Khan.

Among other notable sales, ‘Peshawar 1’ was auctioned for Rs100 million, while ‘Haripur 1’ sold for Rs80 million. The plate ‘Yousafzai 1’ was auctioned for Rs49 million. Additional sales included ‘Durrani 1’ for Rs16.6 million, ‘Malakand 1’ for Rs12.5 million, and ‘Swabi 1’ for Rs12 million.

Officials confirmed that the number plate ‘804’ was withdrawn from the auction, while plates linked to prominent political figures, including ‘Zardari 1’, ‘Sharif 1’, and names of national cricketers, were not offered for bidding during the event.

The Excise Department later explained that these plates were deliberately withheld from the physical auction to ensure higher returns. Authorities stated that plates such as ‘804’, ‘Nawaz Sharif 1’, and ‘Zardari 1’ would be auctioned online instead, allowing participation at national and international levels to maximise bidding value.

The auction was conducted under a single-bid format, while officials confirmed that future number plates would be offered through an e-bidding process.

The event was held under the supervision of Provincial Minister for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Syed Fakhar Jahan, who stated that the personalised number plate initiative was a public-friendly and innovative project that received overwhelming response. He confirmed that more customised plates would be introduced through online auctions in the future.

He further said that interested individuals could apply for personalised names and marks through the Dastak App or by submitting applications directly to the Director General of Excise, adding that the department would continue to introduce transparent and modern public facilitation measures.

The auction ceremony was attended by Director General Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Abdul Haleem Khan, along with other senior departmental officials.