ISLAMABAD: A petition has been filed before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the legal authority of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) to collect a Rs100 fee from motorists using the service road in the New Blue Area, terming the charge a potential violation of fundamental rights.

Petition was filed by Advocate Mohammad Tayyab through lawyers Zohaib Gondal, Hazrat Younis and Mohammad Saeed Dar. The petitioner has named the home secretary, chief commissioner and the MCI administrator as respondents.

The petition challenged the fee, which is being collected from all vehicles entering the commercial hub, regardless of whether they park or simply pass through. “This is not a parking fee. It is an entry fee being charged from anyone who uses the service road,” the petition argued.

Advocate Tayyab contended in the petition that the MCI was providing no identifiable facility or service in return for the charge. He also argued that the levy violated previous judgements of higher courts that bar authorities from imposing arbitrary access fees on public roads.

The petition has requested the court to declare the MCI’s move illegal and null and void.

The petition noted that the service road was part of the public thoroughfare and asked the MCI’s counsel to produce the legal provision under which such a fee could be imposed on road users.

The MCI had introduced the fee in early April 2026, citing “traffic management” as the rationale. The New Blue Area houses commercial markets, corporate headquarters, and restaurants, and has seen a sharp increase in visitor traffic in recent months.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2026