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

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