EDITORIAL: The alarming rise in incidents involving the removal, cutting, damage and theft of motorway fencing and critical IT equipment deserves urgent and serious attention.
Motorways are designed as controlled-access highways to ensure high-speed, safe and uninterrupted travel. Any compromise in their physical or technological infrastructure directly undermines this purpose and places countless lives at risk. As a Business Recorder report points out, the most immediate and visible consequence of damaged or missing fencing is the frequent intrusion of stray, wild and domestic animals, as well as pedestrians, onto motorways. Such intrusions are not minor inconveniences; they are potential death traps. At high speeds, drivers have little time to react, and collisions with animals or unexpected pedestrians can result in fatal accidents.
Beyond road safety, the report rightly highlights the broader security implications of damaged motorway infrastructure. Breaches in fencing can be exploited by criminals for serious offences such as robbery, abduction and even acts of terrorism. Motorways connect major cities and strategic locations, and any vulnerability along these routes can have far-reaching consequences for national security. Likewise, the theft of IT equipment used for traffic regulation and control weakens surveillance and response mechanisms, further increasing risks for commuters. In this context, the government’s move to tighten laws and enhance punishments is both timely and necessary. The findings of an inquiry committee, constituted on the Prime Minister’s directive, reflect an acknowledgment that the existing legal framework is inadequate. At present, offences related to the damage or theft of motorway infrastructure are registered under general provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code. As the Ministry of Communications has pointed out, these provisions neither capture the gravity of such acts nor serve as an effective deterrent.
However, the debate over the appropriate legal avenue – whether through amendments to the PPC and CrPC or under the National Highway Act, 1991 – highlights an important legal and policy dilemma. The observation by the Ministry of Law and Justice that “theft remains theft whether committed on a motorway or elsewhere” reflects a strict and traditional interpretation of criminal law. While this principle ensures legal uniformity, it overlooks the enhanced harm caused when theft or damage targets critical public and safety-related infrastructure. There is a strong case, therefore, for treating offences against motorway infrastructure as aggravated crimes, not because the location is special in itself, but because of the disproportionate risks involved. Many legal systems around the world impose harsher penalties for crimes that endanger public safety, disrupt essential services or compromise national security. Pakistan’s legal framework should evolve in the same direction.
That said, stronger laws alone will not solve the problem. Effective enforcement, coordination between federal and provincial authorities, public awareness, and the use of modern surveillance technologies are equally important. Still, clear, stringent and well-defined legal provisions are a necessary foundation. Protecting motorways is not merely about safeguarding fences or equipment; it is about protecting lives and fostering public confidence.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025