The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained the National Highway Authority (NHA) from collecting additional toll tax from motorists without M-Tag or with insufficient balance, ARY News reported.
The NHA had imposed a 50 per cent surcharge on vehicles without an M-Tag or with insufficient M-Tag balance in a notification.
In today’s hearing, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued an interim stay order, suspending the notification until the next hearing of the case.
The court also issued notices to the National Highway Authority and other respondents, directing them to submit their replies. The petition challenged the legality of the additional toll charges imposed on motorists and was argued before the court by Advocate Muhammad Jalal Haider.
The disputed notification will remain suspended until further orders, while the court continues hearing the matter.
According to a press release last month, the National Highways Authority notified extra 50% toll rates on its Motorways Network, for all non M-Tag and Low Balance Vehicles. The revised toll rates include the 50% fine amount, the notification reads.
The revised toll rates will apply to various categories of vehicles traversing key motorways, including M-1 (Islamabad–Peshawar), M-2 (Lahore–Islamabad), M-3 (Pindi Bhattian–Multan), M-4 (Faisalabad–Multan), M-5 (Multan–Sukkur), M-9 (Karachi–Hyderabad), M-14 (D.I. Khan–Hakla), and E-35 (Hassanabdal–Mansehra Expressway).
Read more: Non M-Tag vehicles barred from entering Islamabad from Jan 1, 2026
According to the notification, the new toll of the car on the Islamabad-Lahore motorway has been fixed at Rs 1,800, the Lahore-Abdul Hakim on the M3 is Rs 1,200, and on Pindi Bhattian-Multan (M4) is Rs 1,600.
Similarly, the new toll for the car on Multan-Sukkur (M5) was fixed at Rs 1,800, while the toll for DI Khan-Hakla (M14) was increased to Rs 1,000.
On the Hassanabdal-Manshera Expressway (E35), the toll for a car has been fixed at Rs 450, Lahore-Islamabad 2 and 3 axle trucks has been set at Rs 7,900, and for articulated trucks has been set at Rs 10,200.