ISLAMABAD: The government is set to tighten laws to curb the removal, cutting, damage and theft of fencing, including theft of IT equipment, by miscreants along motorways, sources told Business Recorder. Sharing the details, sources said that pursuant to directives of the Prime Minister, an inquiry committee headed by the Federal Minister for Communications was constituted to probe the issue of missing and damaged fencing along motorways. The committee’s findings and recommendations were presented to the Prime Minister, who subsequently directed, inter alia, that the Communications Division, in coordination with the Law and Justice Division, work out proposals to enhance punishments and penalties under the law for theft or damage to motorway fencing. The Cabinet Committee for the Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) was informed that, in line with these directives, the Ministry of Communications—after holding several consultative meetings with the Law and Justice Division, National Highway and Motorway Police (NHMP), National Highway Authority (NHA) and other relevant stakeholders—had formulated a proposal to insert new Sections 381-B and 411-A into the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860, along with amendments to Schedule-II of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1898. The proposal was justified on the grounds that motorways are specifically designed for high-speed traffic to ensure safe and efficient mobility for commuters and the transportation of goods across the country. In addition, motorways serve as vital corridors for the movement of strategically important assets and equipment, particularly during war or emergencies, making them strategic national assets. Fencing along both sides of motorways is intended to prevent the ingress of wild animals, cattle and pedestrians, thereby safeguarding human lives, while IT equipment plays a critical role in traffic regulation and control. However, incidents of fence removal, cutting, damage and theft—along with theft of IT equipment—have surged in recent years. As a result, frequent intrusions by stray, wild and domestic animals, as well as pedestrians, onto motorways have become common, posing a serious risk of fatal accidents. The absence of fencing has also created security vulnerabilities, which criminals and miscreants could exploit for offences such as robbery, abduction and acts of terrorism. At present, cases of damage, removal or theft of fencing and other road safety infrastructure are registered by provincial or local police under general provisions of the PPC. According to the Ministry of Communications, these provisions neither reflect the gravity of such offences nor serve as an effective deterrent, necessitating stronger legal measures. The CCLC was informed that the Ministry of Communications had shared the vetted draft Bill with the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, which, in turn, circulated it among all provincial stakeholders for comments. All stakeholders endorsed the Bill. The Ministry of Law and Justice vetted the draft Bill with the observation that the scheme of the PPC does not differentiate between places where theft is committed, noting that theft remains theft whether committed on a motorway or elsewhere, and that similar principles apply to Section 411. The Ministry, however, remarked that the issue primarily related to jurisdiction, which should ideally be addressed separately. “Be that as it may, in deference to the referring Division, the Bill has been vetted,” the Ministry noted. In view of the foregoing, approval of the CCLC was sought under Rule 17(1)(c) of the Rules of Business, 1973, for the draft Bill proposing insertion of Sections 381-B and 411-A in the PPC, 1860, and amendments to Schedule-II of the CrPC, 1898. During deliberations, the CCLC observed that further discussion was required on the proposed amendments. The Committee directed the Ministries of Interior and Narcotics Control and Communications to hold additional consultations with the Ministry of Law and Justice before resubmitting the case, particularly to reconsider whether the proposed changes should be made to the PPC and CrPC or addressed under the National Highways Act, 1991. Accordingly, the Cabinet Committee for the Disposal of Legislative Cases deferred the decision on the summary and asked the concerned ministries to resubmit the case after further consultations. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025