Islamabad authorities have announced that, beginning January 1, 2026, vehicles without a valid M-Tag will be prohibited from entering the federal capital, part of a broader effort to modernize traffic management and enhance security across the city.
The Islamabad Deputy Commissioner, Irfan Nawaz Memon, confirmed the date and urged vehicle owners to register and install M-Tags before the enforcement deadline to avoid inconvenience and denial of entry.
The M-Tag requirement applies to all vehicles entering Islamabad, regardless of whether they are registered locally or outside the capital territory. Officials said the policy aims to provide authorities with a more accurate and efficient method of identifying and tracking vehicles at major entry points and checkpoints. Authorities noted that 95,369 vehicles already have M-Tags installed, including 1,235 registered in the previous 24 hours alone, reflecting growing compliance ahead of full enforcement.
The Islamabad administration is in the process of installing M-Tag readers at key access points to ensure smooth operation once the policy goes into force. The technology is part of an effort to upgrade the city’s traffic monitoring systems by linking vehicle identification to automated systems currently being integrated under broader digital infrastructure objectives. Officials said enforcement will begin when that technology becomes fully operational.
The requirement for M-Tags first emerged earlier in the year, as part of a stepped-up vehicle entry control strategy designed to improve urban security and address various traffic challenges in the capital. Islamabad’s traffic and security environment has faced pressure from increasing vehicle volumes and demand for better incident response times. Integrating M-Tags facilitates faster identification at checkpoints, reduces manual checks, and is expected to enhance emergency response coordination.
Officials have established 16 M-Tag registration centers across Islamabad to help motorists complete the tagging process before full implementation of the ban. They are urging citizens not to wait until the deadline approaches, noting that traffic at registration points could intensify as January 1 nears.
