The National Assembly Standing Committee on Communications has urged the government to significantly reduce the number of toll plazas on the Karachi-Hyderabad M-9 Motorway, citing growing public frustration over frequent toll deductions. The committee recommended that toll booths be placed every 80 to 100 kilometers, replacing the current system of placing them roughly every 35 km.
The proposal was tabled during a committee session chaired by Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani, where members raised concerns about what they described as “unjust and excessive toll collection” from commuters traveling between Karachi and Hyderabad.
Officials from the National Highway Authority (NHA) briefed the committee, explaining that the location of toll plazas is determined by traffic flow patterns, road usage, and population density. They added that some areas still lack toll collection points, and that a new policy proposing booths every 50 km was already under consideration.
However, the committee members rejected both the existing setup and the proposed 50 km policy, calling it inequitable and burdensome for frequent travelers. They argued that short-distance commuters are unfairly penalized by having to pay tolls multiple times within a limited stretch.
Chairman Jakhrani directed that each clause of the toll plaza regulation be reviewed individually to accommodate possible amendments, ensuring a fairer and more balanced system. He emphasized that reforms should prioritize public convenience without undermining revenue generation for infrastructure maintenance.
During the meeting, MNA Waseem Hussain delivered strong criticism of the current toll structure, saying it disproportionately affects residents of Karachi and Hyderabad. “This setup makes no sense,” he said. “People traveling short distances are forced to pay toll after toll — it’s an injustice.”
The committee was informed that the Sukkur–Hyderabad section currently has around 11 to 12 toll plazas, compared to three in Rahim Yar Khan and eight in Punjab. NHA officials clarified that toll distribution is based on traffic intensity, not on administrative boundaries.
In defense, the Communications Secretary told the panel that he too pays toll taxes in his own locality, while the NHA Chairman added that he had resisted local political pressure to remove a toll booth from his constituency, opting instead to improve the facility.
The committee concluded the session by resolving to compile a formal report outlining its recommendations. The report will be forwarded to the Speaker of the National Assembly for further debate and legislative action aimed at improving the toll system for motorists.
