Stamp paper sellers are overcharging the people in Islamabad district court and due to an artificial shortage.
The paper is a requirement for a plethora of official documents and an artificial shortage has allegedly been created by those aiming to profit off black marketing the document.
Instead of selling it for the face value of Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 20 at the city district courts, stamp paper is being for Rs 50 to Rs 100 from nearby black marketers.
Every day hundreds of people come to district courts to get documents such as domicile forms, sale deeds, undertaking for school and college certificates, birth and death certificates, marriage certificates (nikahnama), Zakat declarations and various affidavits, all of these now have to face black marketing.
Stamp papers of denominations of up to Rs 20 were found completely absent from the market in a recent survey. Vendors are selling the papers at 30 percent to 100 percent higher price.
“There is not a single stamp paper valued between Rs 5 and Rs 20 available. I need them for the undertaking for my educational certificate,” said Hassan Ahmed, a student at AridAgricultureUniversity.
He complained there were no checks and balances on the stamp vendors, most of whom only have stamps available for those willing to pay a premium.
Muhammad Yasir was overcharged while getting his father’s death certificate.
“I came in the morning to get stamp paper for a death certificate, but after two hours here, I have not found one person willing to sell it on the face value of Rs 50. All of them are demanding Rs 80,” he said.
An official of the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration assured that the action would be taken against offending vendors. He said that part of the problem is that people who are being fleeced don’t complain to the proper authorities, which allows unscrupulous vendors to continue their practices unhindered.
