Multiple posts on social media claim that the Punjab government has sharply increased the registration fees for motorcycles, electric bikes, arms licences, new electricity connections for homes, and water charges for farmers.
Some of these claims are false, while others are misleading.
On April 16, a social media user on Facebook posted a message in Urdu claiming the Punjab government had raised several fees:
The claims about increased fees for arms licences, motorcycle registration, fitness certificates, water charges, and electricity connections are misrepresented. Here's what we verified:
Arms licences – Rs48,000?
Tauseef Sabih Gondal, spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department, told Geo Fact Check that arms licences have not been issued since April 2024 due to an ongoing ban.
He added that since no new licences 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:
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:
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:
Verdict: The claims about increased fees for arms licences, 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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