Overloading Fine in Pakistan to Rise: Cabinet Committee Approves Higher Penalties, Current Fine Explained
A cabinet committee approved higher overloading fines on 23 October 2026. New amounts are not out, and the NHSO text sets Rs 1,000 to 5,000. What changes next.
The overloading fine in Pakistan is set to rise: the Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative Cases approved proposals for higher fines and penalties for overloading on 23 October 2026, but the new amounts have not been published and are not yet in force. Until they are, the National Highways Safety Ordinance text published by the Motorway Police sets a fine of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, up to one month in jail, or both, for a goods vehicle carrying more than 15 per cent over its permitted load.
We read the government's press release on the meeting, issued by the Press Information Department (PID), and the text of the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000 that the Motorway Police publish. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar chaired the committee. It also cleared the Motorway Police seniority rules and draft changes to the petroleum levy law. Here is what was approved, what the fine is today, and what has to happen before truckers pay more.
A cabinet committee approved higher overloading penalties on 23 October 2026
On 23 October 2026, the Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative Cases approved "the proposals for enhanced fines and penalties for overloading, along with its recommendations". The release gives no new fine amounts, and says the drafts now go to the relevant forums for further legal steps.
That last line is the important one. A cabinet committee clears drafts. It does not make law on its own. The proposals still have to pass the next stage, which could be the full federal cabinet, a notification, or a bill in Parliament, depending on what exactly is being changed. None of that has happened yet.
So if a Motorway Police officer stops your truck tomorrow, the old schedule applies. Be wary of messages claiming a new fine figure. The government has not published one.
Today's overloading fine is Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 or one month in jail
Section 75 of the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000 punishes driving a goods vehicle on a national highway with more than 15 per cent over its permitted load. The penalty is up to one month in jail, a fine of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, or both.
The same section covers passenger vehicles. A bus or van carrying more than 30 per cent above its prescribed number of passengers faces the same penalty. The permitted loads come from the Ordinance's Sixth Schedule, which sets a single axle at 12 tons, a tandem axle at 22 tons and a tridem axle at 31 tons. Gross limits for each truck axle layout run from 17.5 tons to 61.5 tons.
| Rule | What the Ordinance says | Status on 24 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Goods overload | More than 15 per cent over the Sixth Schedule load is an offence | In force |
| Passenger overload | More than 30 per cent over prescribed passengers is an offence | In force |
| Penalty | Up to one month in jail, Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 fine, or both | Published figure, later revisions possible |
| Unloading | Officer directs the excess to be unloaded before the vehicle goes on | In force |
| Higher fines | Proposals approved by cabinet committee, amounts not published | Not yet in force |
The fine is not the only cost. Under section 75(2), a uniformed officer must make you unload the excess goods or passengers before you can carry on. For a loaded truck far from a depot, that delay can cost more than the fine itself.
The same meeting cleared Motorway Police rules and levy amendments
The committee also gave in-principle approval to the National Highways and Motorway Police Seniority Rules 2026. It approved draft legal amendments on the Petroleum Levy and Climate Support Levy, and rules for the Asaan Karobar Technical Unit and the Pakistan Regulatory Registry.
The seniority rules matter to Motorway Police officers, not to drivers. The levy amendments could matter to everyone who buys fuel, because the petroleum levy and the climate support levy are part of every litre's price. The release does not say what the amendments change, so we cannot tell you yet whether they raise, lower or simply restate the levies.
The Asaan Karobar Technical Unit and the Pakistan Regulatory Registry are part of the government's plan to simplify business rules. Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiani attended the meeting.
What truck and bus operators should do now
Carry no more than your vehicle's permitted load, keep a weighbridge slip for every trip, and check the official notice before believing any new fine amount. Higher penalties are coming, so overloading that is cheap today may not stay cheap.
- Find your truck's axle type and permitted gross weight in the Sixth Schedule table.
- Weigh the loaded vehicle at a weighbridge and keep the slip in the cab.
- Stay under 15 per cent above the limit, and better still, at or under the limit itself.
- For buses and vans, never carry more than 30 per cent above the seats allowed.
- If you get a charge sheet, pay it on time, because unpaid tickets go to court.
- Wait for a government notification before trusting any new fine figure you are sent.
If you are already holding a ticket, see how to pay an NHMP charge sheet within 10 days. Officers can also detain your vehicle for an overloading offence until the excess is removed.
Common questions
What is the overloading fine on motorways in Pakistan?
Under section 75 of the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000, it is Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, up to one month in jail, or both. It applies above 15 per cent overload for goods vehicles.
Has the overloading fine already gone up?
No. A cabinet committee approved proposals on 23 October 2026, but no new amount has been published or notified. The existing penalty still applies.
How much will the new overloading fine be?
The government has not said. PID's release mentions "enhanced fines and penalties" but gives no figures. Treat any figure shared on social media as unconfirmed.
What is the axle load limit for trucks?
The Ordinance's Sixth Schedule sets 12 tons for a single axle, 22 tons for a tandem axle, 31 tons for a tridem axle and 5.5 tons for the front axle.
Does the rule apply to passenger buses and vans?
Yes. Carrying more than 30 per cent above the prescribed number of passengers on a national highway is an offence with the same penalty.
Who approved the proposals?
The Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative Cases, chaired by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, on 23 October 2026.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 24 October 2026. The committee's decisions come from PID press release No. 368 of 23 October 2026, read on the PID website on 24 October. The current penalty, the 15 and 30 per cent thresholds and the unloading rule come from section 75 of the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000, in the copy published by the Motorway Police, which we downloaded and read on 24 October. We could not find the proposed new fine amounts, or the text of the petroleum levy amendments, on any official page. Fines in the 2000 text may have been revised by later notification, so check the latest charge sheet schedule as well.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
