Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has approved the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2026, officially turning it into law and introducing major changes to traffic penalties across Punjab.
Under the updated legislation, several strict punishments introduced through the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Fourth Amendment) Ordinance 2025 have been withdrawn. The new law significantly lowers traffic fines and removes jail sentences for multiple traffic-related offences, offering relief to motorists, motorcyclists, and rickshaw drivers, particularly those from lower-income groups.
Governor Saleem Haider stated that the Pakistan Peoples Party believes citizens are already facing economic pressure due to inflation, and excessively high traffic fines were creating additional hardship for the public.
The revised law reduces penalties for various violations, including driving without a valid license, wrong-way driving, underage driving, operating vehicles without fitness certificates, and overloading public transport vehicles.
For instance, the fine for driving without a license has been reduced from Rs50,000 to Rs5,000, while the punishment of imprisonment has been completely removed. Similarly, motorists caught driving in the wrong direction will now face only a Rs5,000 fine instead of earlier penalties that included up to six months in jail or heavy fines.
The law also changes rules regarding underage driving. Instead of imprisonment, violators will now receive a Rs10,000 fine, while the vehicle will be handed over to a licensed driver or owner.
Additionally, vehicles operating without a valid fitness certificate will face a Rs5,000 penalty and may only be driven to designated inspection centers. Penalties for overcrowding in public transport have also been reduced, replacing jail terms and larger fines with a fixed Rs5,000 fine for violations such as passengers traveling on rooftops or hanging from vehicles.
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