The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday overturned a four-year-old high court decision that denied heavy-bike riders permission to ride on highways.
The Supreme Court observed that the authorities had appropriately limited motorcyclists under the legislation in order to ensure public safety.
A three-judge Supreme Court bench led by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood granted an appeal filed by the Ministry of Communications and the Inspector General (IG) of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) against an order issued four years ago by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
In a 2018 decision, the Supreme Court ordered a better standard operating procedure (SOP) for riding motorcycles on the highway.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, who wrote the nine-page verdict, rejected the high court’s order, stating that the motorway restriction imposed on motorcycles under Section 45 of the National Highway Safety Ordinance (NHSO) 2000 (NHSO) was legal and could not be interpreted as a violation of any fundamental right to life or liberty.
Furthermore, he noted that this clause had not been challenged before the IHC as being ultra vires (beyond the powers) of the Constitution or the NHSO.
The government may ban or limit the operation of motor vehicles or any designated type of motor vehicle in a specific area or on a specific route for the safety or convenience of the general public, according to the ruling.
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