A high-level meeting was held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan to conduct a detailed review of the Axle Load Control Regime (ALCR). The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary for Communications, Chairman NHA, and IG Motorway Police, along with the Director Generals of National Logistics Corporation and Frontier Works Organization, who provided briefings on relevant matters. During the briefing, it was highlighted that overloading severely damages road infrastructure, with 30,000 axle load violations reported over the past six months. It was also shared that a state-of-the-art model weigh station of international standards in Sangjani will be completed soon.
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan issued clear directives during the meeting, ordering necessary amendments to the NHA's legal framework within one week to immediately eliminate legal and operational hurdles regarding the axle load regime. He instructed that transporters be provided clear guidance on vehicle body manufacturing and advised against installing unnecessary heavy decorative accessories that increase overall weight. The Federal Minister firmly announced that fines will now be imposed not only on vehicle owners but also on factories identified for overloading trucks. Abdul Aleem Khan made it mandatory for 100 percent of freight vehicles to pass through weigh stations and directed the complete automation of the weigh station system. He stated that shifting to an automated system would eliminate long queues and prevent lost time, while also ordering the establishment of weigh stations on GT Roads similar to those on motorways. The Federal Minister emphasized installing modern cameras on motorways and establishing a system to track rule-breaking vehicles immediately using artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan instructed the NHA, NLC, and FWO to adopt a joint strategy at Karachi Port and emphasized that planning must account for the needs of the next 20 years rather than just present conditions. He announced his decision to personally visit 10 different locations across motorways to inspect the practical implementation of the axle load regime firsthand and ensure strict compliance with rules and regulations.
