Islamabad, October 9, 2025: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday disposed of a petition regarding arrests over driving without a license, directing law enforcement agencies to adopt a more proportionate approach in such cases.
Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, who presided over the hearing, ruled that no immediate FIR should be registered against individuals found driving without a valid license. Instead, he said, authorities should impose a fine for failing to produce a license.
The chief justice clarified that a criminal case could only be registered in incidents of negligent or reckless driving, not merely for lacking a license. However, he cautioned that in the event of an accident, driving without a valid license could attract serious charges — including Section 302 (murder) — if negligence is established.
During the proceedings, the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) informed the court that no FIRs are currently being filed against citizens solely for driving without a license. He added that new security features had been introduced to prevent tampering in driving licenses.
The court further noted that digital verification has become easier through the NADRA mobile application, which allows instant authentication of identity documents. The CTO said efforts were underway to digitally link driving licenses with NADRA for real-time verification.
Chief Justice Dogar also warned that registering criminal cases for minor offenses could unfairly stigmatize citizens by creating permanent criminal records. He directed that first-time violators should be penalized with fines, while repeat offenders could face stricter legal consequences.
The ruling aims to strike a balance between road safety enforcement and citizen protection, ensuring that administrative lapses do not escalate into criminal proceedings without due cause.
