IHC moved against closure of M-1

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was approached against the closure of the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1), seeking directions for the reopening of the blocked routes to facilitate the movement of lawyers, litigants and emergency services. Advocate Mian Shafqat Jan, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, on Friday filed the petition against the government’s move to shutdown the M-1 Motorway after he was unable to reach the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to appear in a case. The federation through Secretaries Interior and Information, the Inspectors General of the National Highways and Motorway Police and Islamabad Police, the National Highway Authority through its chairman, the Islamabad Capital Territory administration through the chief commissioner, and the Punjab government through its home secretary and Inspector General of Police were cited as respondents. The petitioner contended that he was scheduled to appear before the PHC on September 24. He managed to enter the motorway from the Islamabad toll plaza at around 7am after facing difficulties but found the route closed at the M-1 Attock Bridge. Mian Shafqat said that he sought information from officials deployed at the site about any written order authorizing the closure but was unable to obtain confirmation. He adopted the stance that closing public routes without a notification, written order, or disclosed reasons infringed citizens’ fundamental rights and warranted judicial intervention. The petitioner also referred to a recent IHC judgement about the planned PTI protest, arguing that the court had recognised constitutional protections for citizens, including freedom of movement and access to courts. In its detailed 37-page judgement in the case of the PTI’s planned protest, the IHC held that any activity resulting in the infringement of citizens’ fundamental rights amounted to a violation of the Constitution. It also observed that the right to peaceful assembly could not be exercised in a manner that infringed the rights of other citizens. The bench, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and comprising Justice Muhammad Azam Khan and Justice Muhammad Asif, directed the authorities to ensure that no political party, leader or public office holder occupied roads, highways, interchanges or toll plazas in a manner that obstructed free movement or hindered access to medical and educational facilities. On the basis of these arguments, Advocate Jan urged the IHC to declare the closure of roads and highways without any notification, written order or disclosed reasons illegal and unconstitutional. He also sought directions for the interior secretary, communications secretary and Islamabad chief commissioner to ensure the reopening of blocked routes for emergency traffic, lawyers, litigants, witnesses, sick persons, funeral processions and other emergency services. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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