ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained the National Highways Authority (NHA) from charging an additional 50% toll from motorists using non-MTag vehicles or M-Tag vehicles with insufficient balance, suspending the authority’s notification until the next hearing on August 3.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued the interim order after holding a preliminary hearing on a petition filed by lawyer Muhammad Jalal Haider. The court also issued notices to the NHA, the Ministry of Communications and other respondents, directing them to file their responses. The petitioner asked the court to declare the additional toll illegal and order the authorities to refund the extra amount collected from the public as fine.
According to the petition, the NHA issued a notification on May 30, 2025, imposing an additional 50% toll, described as a fine, on vehicles without M-Tags and vehicles whose M-Tag accounts had insufficient balance. The petitioner’s counsel argued that under Section 10 of the National Highway Authority Act, the NHA is only authorized to collect toll tax.
It maintained that the law does not contain any provision authorizing the NHA to impose penalties on vehicles that do not have MTag or on vehicles with low M-Tag balances.
The petition contended that the NHA has been levying penalties on both categories of motorists without any legal backing. The petitioner asked the court to declare the notification of May 30, 2025 unconstitutional and void.
The petition further sought directions to the NHA to refund all additional amounts charged to motorists under the impugned notification and asked the court to seek full details of the M-Tag balancing mechanism and its operational framework.
