Islamabad High Court Stops the Police From Harassing Careem

Islamabad High Court (IHC) has stopped the city’s police and administration from shutting down the offices of Careem, searching the office, harassing the petitioner or impounding the vehicles used by the employees or the visitors.

About a month ago Punjab Transport Authority and Sindh government issued orders for Careem and Uber to suspend their services in the respective provinces as well. The ban was lifted a day afterwards however.

Committee To Be Formed For The Decision

Justice Athar Minallah, while listening to a petition filed by Careem, ordered that a committee should be made. The committee will be under the supervision of Islamabad cheif commissioner and will include one member each from Islamabad police (IP), Islamabad traffice police (ITP), Islamabad Regional Transport Authority (IRTA) and Careem.

The committee would hold meetings and will decide, after taking proposals from Careem, on how to best regulate ride sharing platforms. The committee has been ordered to submit a report after 1 month.

Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 does not specify a method of regulating a ride sharing service as it did not factor in the usage of mobile phones in utilizing these services.

Careem’s General Manager, Omer Zabit, through his counsel, Babar Sattar, made Karachi Company SHO, Islamabad Chief Commissioner, IRTA secretary and interior secretary respondents for this case.

Does Not Fall Under Traditional Categories

The counsel mentioned in the petition that Careem has been operating in the country since October 2015 and does not fall under the category of a taxi or a rent-a-car service.

He added,

Neither does the petitioner own or lease cars, nor does it employ drivers.

saying that the company operates their services via software applications that allow the passengers to connect with the drivers and vice versa through an online platform.

Mr. Sattar said that interior ministry allegedly ordered to shut down Careem’s office in Islamabad with the IRTA and the SHO of Karachi company carrying out the orders without due process.

Via Express Tribune

A techie, gamer, and Senior Editor at ProPakistani.


    • I wish if judges come out of the closet before they decide on such cases. Careem is solely working using an application and has no earning? If that isn’t the case then why are they even registered as a company in Dubai ? And of course have paid license fees and soon will pay VAT as well.

      Unaware of technology and for some other reasons our judges are giving decisions contradicting common sense.

      A family friend judge didn’t even know that Dubai isn’t a country it is an emirate in UAE and Mexico borders with US :(

  • Whatever say. It is good for general public. save and secure. I used both Careem and Uber services both are giving excellent service what they can.
    I think we should encourage them to keep their service maintain as they say.

  • plenty of taxis/local vans on the road are of Police itself, for extra income and making black money white, why shouldn’t they harass careem or uber as these services have killed their extra income streams.

  • Pakistani Officials should be ashamed of their wrong doings against careem and uber .. they guys giving cheap and very reliable service in Pakistan … Plenty of people are connected with their daily earnings from these services .. Plz dont stop such services plz plz..

  • At least Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi has some means of transport through metro. While Karachi has not only become a dumpster but has no means of transport.

    The local rickshaws and taxis transport you at a heavy cost. The transport mini buses here must be called one of the unique transport service in the World, once you get inside any of these you have 50% chance of survival (I never even rode my bicycle so recklessly) , 5% chances that your clothes remain intact and not become filthy with the sweat of other passengers you are standing with… and that diesel on bus floor, those filthy seats, no windows allowing the dust on Karachi roads to make you a Santa Clause, those passengers carrying animals (like goats, pigeons, parrots, chicks etc), those who carry tools like spade, color brushes, rusty tools etc, then those passengers who are eating something like samosa’s, gallebi, paan, shawarma, burger usually clean their hands from seats, then the ones who are always in a hurry and step over your shoes no matter how hard and smartly you try.. dude you are always their victim. Its lucky to reach the destination safe and sound with your mobile phone in the pocket. It really is an achievement that nobody praises.

    With such a transport service, Uber and Careem is the way out for Karachites who just want a piece of mind and nothing else at all.


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