Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir passed the order on Friday while hearing a petition filed by Advocate Jalal Haider, who appeared before the court in person.

The court restrained the NHA from collecting the additional toll from motorists and suspended the notification issued on May 30, 2025, pending further proceedings.

The IHC also issued notices to the NHA, the Ministry of Communications and other respondents, directing them to submit their replies by August 3, the date fixed for the next hearing.

Under the suspended notification, motorists travelling on motorways without an M-Tag or with insufficient balance were required to pay a 50 per cent additional toll surcharge.

According to the petitioner, the issue arose in December 2025 when he was travelling to Faisalabad and was asked by NHA officials to pay the additional charge. He claimed officials failed to provide the relevant notification at the time, which he later obtained online.

The petition argues that the notification violates Section 10 of the National Highway Authority Act, maintaining that the law authorises the NHA only to collect toll tax and does not empower it to impose penalties or additional surcharges.

It further contends that the surcharge was imposed without legal authority and exceeds the NHA’s statutory powers, while also violating Articles 4, 18, 24 and 25 of the Constitution.

The petitioner has requested the court to direct the NHA to submit the complete mechanism governing the M-Tag balance system and to order the refund of all additional charges collected under the suspended notification.