Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom expressed strong concerns over the government’s mandatory installation of M-Tags on motorcycles, calling the initiative chaotic and potentially unsafe. During a heated discussion, senators highlighted issues of theft, misuse, and security risks, urging authorities to reconsider the rollout until a proper study is conducted.
The committee criticized the district administration for enforcing the initiative without adequate planning. Senator Kamran Murtaza warned that the M-Tags have created confusion across the city, while Senator Talha Mahmood pointed out that stolen M-Tags could exacerbate problems instead of solving them.
Security concerns were also raised during the discussion. Senators questioned what would happen if a terrorist were to use a motorcycle already equipped with an M-Tag to evade checkpoints.
Senator Kamran Murtaza, while citing potential misuse of the system said that a terrorist can reach sensitive locations undetected.
The district administration responded that no official complaints regarding M-Tag theft have been received so far. The DC Islamabad also mentioned that in a previous terrorist attack on the Islamabad Judicial Complex, the attacker had used a motorcycle, underscoring the security challenges involved.
Senator Sadia Abbasi recommended that the government conduct a data-driven and logical study to evaluate the initiative’s effectiveness before further implementation.
The M-Tag system is part of a government effort to digitally track vehicles for security and law enforcement purposes.
