KARACHI – Pakistan’s online taxi services, long operating without any central authority, registration, or clear regulations, have now faced a major crackdown after the Senate approved the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2025, making it mandatory for ride-hailing services to register under defined rules, with operating without registration completely banned in Islamabad.
Under this legislation, online drivers must register with the authority, possess a valid driving license, and obtain special permission, while ride-hailing companies must obtain an operation certificate; vehicle registration and annual fitness certificates will also be mandatory.
Companies will be required to maintain complete records of drivers and vehicles and provide real-time data to relevant authorities to ensure passenger safety and a transparent system. Officials said passengers often face various problems with online taxi drivers, and due to lack of registration and regulations, crimes occur without any record being maintained by authorities, adding that since most women trust ride-hailing apps, regulations are essential to ensure their safety and proper security measures are needed for both drivers and passengers.
The bill will be implemented in Islamabad, District Transport Authority will be responsible for registering online companies and their vehicles, while agencies handling fitness certificates will oversee the process.
The bill has been approved by Senate and is expected to become law after National Assembly approval. The stern regulation will build passenger confidence and ensure authorities have records, but implementation in Pakistan is often delayed and the bill does not clarify how driver data will be protected, as employees in Islamabad also work as online taxi drivers, and uploading their data online could create serious security risks.
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