Shortage of e-stamp papers angers citizens
A large number of citizens have been facing difficulties due to the artificial shortage of e-stamp papers in the market and district and tehsil courts owing to a connectivity issue in the online service.
The government has lost revenue of Rs35 million in the 48 hours owing to the non-issuance of stamp papers after the online website of the department concerned faced a technical glitch.
Earlier, the Punjab government abolished the 74-year-old system of stamp papers, replacing it with an e-stamping system across Punjab including in the Rawalpindi division.
Stamp papers worth Rs50 had also been abolished and four different types of online code stamp papers worth Rs100, Rs200, Rs600 and Rs1,200 had been introduced.
Notarised vendors had been allowed to sell written stamp papers worth Rs100 for Rs200 after submitting a fee to the national treasury to get access to the website of the provincial finance ministry to download special stamp papers worth Rs100 and Rs200.
The Punjab Board of revenue had implemented the online system through the Punjab Information Technology Board.
Sources said that due to the shortage of e-stamp papers, people have been facing in processing travel-related affairs, transactions and filing court cases.
Citizens said that they were unable to get online e-stamps from vendors in the Rawalpindi district court and other centres.
Thousands of people intending to go abroad have remained stuck in the last two days as e-stamp papers are mandatory for submission to the Protector's Office before departure. Others such as those who intend to buy and sell automobiles and property have also been facing hardships in getting transactions done, which is also costing the Punjab government million of rupees of loss in revenue daily.
Sources said that the department concerned has failed to restore the service as the affected people lamented the callousness of the authorities, who have turned a blind eye to the serious issue.
Stamp vendor Arshad Ali said the Punjab government should act responsibly to protect the public and thousands of notarised vendors from hardship.
Another vendor, Faisal Mansoor said that the e-stamp papers service should be outsourced to a private firm if the Punjab Information Technology Board cannot run the system. He said that like other sectors, the Punjab government should allow vendors and the Bank of Punjab to pay the fee online to obtain stamps. “This will only be possible if the Punjab Information Technology Board transferred control of the e-stamp portal to a private firm.
Stamp Paper Vendors’ Union Chairman Malik Waheed Awan said that complaints have been lodged with the district administration but no positive progress has been made in the 48 hours.
Javed Akhtar said that he needed an affidavit stamp paper for electricity connection but he has been facing difficulty in getting it for the last two days."
Faiza Ashraf said that her family lawsuit could not be filed due to the non-availability of stamp papers.
Rawalpindi deputy commissioner's office sources said that the technical glitch will be rectified in the next 24 hours and the system will function from Wednesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2022.