ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has accepted a plea filed by a taxi driver against Uber and Careem, ridesharing services in Pakistan for hearing.
Mohammad Abdul Shakoor Malik moved the court on Friday seeking legal action against the companies for running services without registering with the transport authority and fulfilling other requirements.
In his petition, Malik said: “The gross violation of the law by Uber and Careem has created a non-level playing field in the taxi business.”
Secretary Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA), SSP (traffic) Malik Matloob, Chief Commissioner Zulfiqar Haider, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman, Careem Cab Network and the general manager of Uber Technologies have been made respondents in the case.
The petitioner said Uber and Careem are using a mobile application through which they invite car owners to register with them and the same is used for booking rides by the public. The service is available in many cities including Islamabad and Lahore, he said, adding that the number of drivers were increasing everyday.
He claimed that drivers of the both cab service providers were not following the laws, which have been described under the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 or the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000.
The petitioner had pleaded the high court to issue directions to the ITA for enforcement of laws and bring the two companies under the law.
The petitioner also urged the court to direct the the ITA, SSP and chief commissioner to investigate the allegations levelled by the petitioner in complaints annexed with the petition.
