The Islamabad High Court (IHC) delivered a significant ruling on Thursday, directing authorities to cease the immediate registration of criminal cases against individuals found driving without a valid license and to impose fines instead.

The directive was issued by Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar while presiding over a hearing on a petition that challenged a deadline set by the Islamabad Traffic Police to arrest unlicensed motorists and impound their vehicles.

During the proceedings, Chief Justice Dogar emphasized a clear distinction between administrative lapses and dangerous conduct. He observed that while legal action is warranted for negligent or reckless driving, the simple failure to produce a driving permit should not automatically trigger a First Information Report (FIR).

“If someone drives without a license and causes an accident, Section 302 (murder) may apply,” the Chief Justice remarked. “But if a person simply doesn’t have a license at hand, even a photocopy can suffice.”

Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Islamabad Hamza Humayun, who appeared before the bench, informed the court that the traffic police had not lodged any FIRs against citizens merely for failing to carry a license.

Justice Dogar expressed concern that filing criminal cases for such minor infractions could unjustly stigmatize citizens with a criminal record. “It has been over 75 years since Pakistan’s creation, and yet there is still confusion over whether possessing a license is mandatory. People make mistakes, but the law leaves no room for error,’ he noted.

Following the arguments, the court restrained the traffic police from lodging immediate FIRs in such instances. The bench instructed that motorists who fail to present their license should be penalized with a fine. The petition was subsequently disposed of.