The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has announced a significant increase in driving licence fees, citing the introduction of new service charges, with some fees rising by up to 33 percent.
Under the revised fee structure, drivers will now pay up to Rs800, with the additional charges collected directly in cash by the police department for its welfare fund. However, the standard licence fee, previously set at Rs2,400, will continue to be deposited into the national exchequer via bank transactions.
The decision, authorized by the police chief following the interior minister’s directive, expands ITP licence eligibility to all citizens nationwide and implements the fee hike through an executive order, as reported by Dawn.
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A notification from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) office, supported by the Police Executive Board’s recommendation, has made these service charges effective immediately.
The revised charges introduce various new fees, including a Rs200 medical fee, an option for fast-track licence processing for an additional Rs2,000, and road test fees ranging from Rs200 to Rs500 depending on vehicle type. Additionally, a Rs200 fee for road safety education sessions and a Rs1,000 fee for driving licence no-objection certificates (NOC) have been introduced.
Moreover, fees for community driving school services have seen significant increases, along with the introduction of a Rs200 mobile facilitation fee for the ‘licence on wheels’ service.
While concerns have been raised by legal experts and police officers regarding the fee adjustments made through an office order, the police spokesperson affirmed the Police Executive Board’s role in the decision-making process. However, clarification regarding the legal basis for the new charges remains unclear, as fee increment and introduction rights are typically reserved for the government under the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965. Nonetheless, the spokesperson confirmed that the service charges would contribute to the police welfare fund.
