HYDERABAD: The court of Hyderabad additional sessions judge Tasawar Ali has directed the Hyderabad municipal commissioner to strictly enforce the Sindh government’s ban on the collection of parking fees on public roads and take legal action against the collectors of illegal fee.
The order was passed during the hearing of an application filed by Advocate Faisal Mughal under the sections 22-A & 22-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure, seeking registration of an FIR against those charging parking fee illegally.
During the arguments, the applicant stated that while he was parking his vehicle near a shop in the Cantonment area, a person identifying himself as a cantonment board parking staff member demanded that parking charges be paid and issued a slip.
The applicant maintained that despite a complete ban imposed by the Sindh government, illegal parking fees were being forcibly collected across Hyderabad, causing harassment to citizens and families.
Representing the Cantonment Board Hyderabad, Advocate Ishrat Ali Lohar filed written objections stating that the application was based on vague allegations and lacked documentary evidence.
Meanwhile, the Hyderabad deputy commissioner contended that the cantonment areas did not fall under the district administration’s jurisdiction. On behalf of the Hyderabad municipal commissioner, Advocate Zulfiqar Durrani informed the court that all charged parking contracts within the jurisdiction of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) had been cancelled through official communications dated July 8, 2025, and August 4, 2025.
He added that any parking receipts issued in the name of the HMC were fake and liable to legal action. The court observed that the Sindh chief minister had imposed a complete ban on the collection of parking fees on roads through a notification dated July 8, 2025, and that charged parking was only permissible in properly designated plots, plazas or areas specifically maintained for the parking purposes.
In its final directions, the court held the Hyderabad municipal commissioner responsible for ensuring that no individual illegally or forcibly collected parking fees from the public. The court also directed that the chief minister’s directives be displayed at public places to raise public awareness that no parking fee was payable on roads.
