Court to Hear Petition Against Rs100 Service Road Fee
The Islamabad High Court will hear a petition challenging the Rs100 fee being charged for entry into Islamabad’s New Blue Area.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir is scheduled to take up the case tomorrow. The petition has asked the court to declare the fee illegal, unlawful and void.
The case has been filed against the home secretary, Islamabad chief commissioner and administrator of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad. They have been named as respondents in the petition.
The legal challenge has raised questions over whether a public service road can be used to collect entry charges from citizens. The petitioner argues that the fee has no lawful basis and should be stopped.
New Blue Area is one of Islamabad’s major commercial zones. It includes markets, corporate offices, business centres and restaurants. A large number of citizens visit the area daily for work, shopping, food and business activity.
Petitioner Says Fee Is Not a Parking Charge
According to the petition, the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad is charging Rs100 from people using the New Blue Area service road.
The petitioner claimed that the amount is not being collected as a parking fee. Instead, it is being charged from anyone entering or using the service road.
The petition states that the MCI is not providing any specific service or facility in return for the fee. It argues that citizens cannot be charged simply for using a public road.
The petitioner also maintained that the fee violates decisions of higher courts. The plea has requested the Islamabad High Court to declare the practice unlawful and stop the collection.
Case Raises Questions Over Public Access
The petition has brought public access and municipal authority into focus. It questions whether local authorities can impose such charges without providing a defined service.
The matter is important because New Blue Area is a key commercial location in the capital. Any entry fee can affect office workers, visitors, business owners and customers.
The petition was filed through lawyers Zohaib Gondal, Hazrat Younis and Hammad Saeed Dar.
The court’s decision may determine whether the MCI can continue collecting the fee. It may also set an important precedent for similar charges in other public commercial areas of Islamabad.
For now, all eyes are on the Islamabad High Court as it takes up the case and examines the legality of the New Blue Area entry fee.
