The highest bid was for ‘Dawar 1’ at Rs 175 million, followed by ‘Waziristan 1’ at Rs 40.6 million and ‘Bajaur 1’ at Rs 33.5 million.
PESHAWAR:
A recent high-profile auction of premium VIP and special vehicle number plates in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has spiraled into controversy after several winning bidders defaulted on payments, forcing the Excise Department to forfeit their security deposits.
At the auction, held on February 14 in Peshawar, select coveted plates with tribal and regional names were presented. It initially generated buzz with record bids totaling crores of rupees. The highest bid was for ‘Dawar 1’ at Rs 175 crore (Rs 17.50 crore), followed by ‘Waziristan 1’ at Rs 40.6 crore (Rs 4.06 crore) and ‘Bajaur 1’ at Rs 33.5 crore (Rs 3.35 crore). The event reportedly raised over Rs 470 million across 30 plates, demonstrating strong demand for personalized registrations that symbolize prestige and status.
As per the rules, successful bidders were required to submit full payment through crossed check within the stipulated period. Each participant had deposited Rs 100,000 as collateral to participate. However, authorities confirmed that the winners of ‘Dawar 1’, ‘Waziristan 1’ and ‘Bajaur 1’ defaulted on their obligations. As a result, the Excise Department seized their security deposits and initiated recovery proceedings.
Officials expressed frustration, noting that some bidders appeared to have placed extravagant bids primarily for fame and publicity on social media, only to disappear when payment was due.
This has embarrassed the department, which promoted the auction as a revenue-generating initiative for the provincial treasury.
