ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained the National Highway Authority (NHA) from collecting additional toll charges from motorists, suspending a notification that imposed a 50% surcharge on non-M-Tag users and vehicles with insufficient M-Tag balances.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued a stay order, directing that the additional toll charges should not be collected until further proceedings in the case.
The court also issued notices to the NHA and other respondents, seeking their replies before the next hearing.
Under the suspended notification, motorists travelling without an M-Tag or maintaining a low M-Tag balance were required to pay an additional 50% toll.
The latest development comes months after the federal government withdrew a planned quarterly increase in toll plaza charges on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide relief to the public amid prevailing economic challenges.
In April, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan directed the NHA to withdraw a notification issued on April 1 that proposed revised toll rates from April 5.
The NHA subsequently issued a fresh notification formally cancelling the planned increase in toll charges.
