LHC suspends ‘no helmet, no petrol’ notification

• The court issued notice to federal government, DC Lahore, IG Punjab, and CCPO Lahore asking for their input.
• There is no law against giving petrol without a helmet, the court said.
• The court emphasized that essential rights should not be denied.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday took strong action by suspending a notification that had enforced a ban on selling petrol to motorcyclists without helmets.

This ban aimed to prevent fuel sales to helmetless motorcyclists at Lahore’s petrol stations, with fines for stations violating this rule.

Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh conducted the hearing, where petitioner Mian Irfan Bashir’s lawyer Yasir Islam gave his arguments.

Lawyer Yasin stated that DC Lahore had issued an illegal notification banning the sale of petrol without helmets adding that the action is a violation of court order and fundamental rights.

He further urged the LHC to immediately declare the notification null and void.

The suspension of order was followed by the court’s formal notice to the federal government, DC Lahore, IG Punjab, and CCPO Lahore asking for their input, stating that there is no law against giving petrol without a helmet.

The high court showed serious concern about the ban being implemented through a simple notification.

LHC raised doubts about the validity of this directive and highlighted the need to protect citizens’ basic rights fairly.