A petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the National Highway Authority’s (NHA) decision to impose a 50% additional toll on vehicles without an M-Tag or with insufficient balance in their M-Tag accounts.
The petition was submitted by lawyer Muhammad Jalal Haider, who named the Ministry of Communications, the National Highway Authority (NHA), and other relevant authorities as respondents.
According to the petition, the NHA issued a notification on May 30, 2025, introducing an additional 50% toll charge for vehicles using the motorway network without an M-Tag or with inadequate M-Tag balance.
The petitioner argued that Section 10 of the National Highway Authority Act authorizes the NHA only to collect toll taxes and does not empower it to impose financial penalties on motorists for failing to obtain an M-Tag or maintain sufficient balance.
The petition further contends that the additional charges are being collected without legal authority, making the policy unconstitutional and a violation of Articles 4, 18, 24, and 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantee due process, the right to conduct lawful business, protection of property, and equality before the law.
The petitioner has requested the Islamabad High Court to declare the NHA’s May 30, 2025 notification illegal and unconstitutional, set it aside, and direct the authority to refund all additional toll charges collected under the policy.
In addition, the petition seeks complete details of the M-Tag balance mechanism and the procedures governing its implementation and enforcement.
