A graphic circulating on social media claims that people travelling to Punjab’s mountain resort city of Murree are now being charged Rs300 to enter and another Rs300 to leave. Some users have described the amount as a tax imposed by the Punjab government.
The claim is misleading.
Claim
On July 12, a Threads user shared a graphic claiming that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had imposed a Rs300 tax on people travelling to Murree, with the amount charged each way.
“They have imposed a tax on the cool winds of Murree,” the graphic read, adding: “A tax of Rs600.”
Fact
No new tax has been imposed on entering or leaving Murree by the provincial government. The Rs300 being cited is a revised toll fee set by the National Highway Authority (NHA) for the Islamabad Muzaffarabad Dual Carriageway.
Ahmed Hassan, the general manager revenue at the NHA, told Geo Fact Check that the toll was previously Rs200 each way and has now been increased to Rs300.
“We have increased the rates from July 10, and the rate is indeed Rs300,” he said. “Rs300 for going and Rs300 for exiting.”
A notification issued by the NHA’s Finance Wing Revenue Directorate, seen by Geo Fact Check, confirms the revised rates, effective July 10, 2026. It lists the toll for cars and wagons at Rs300 each way. The rates for buses, two and three axle trucks, and articulated trucks are Rs450, Rs500 and Rs1,000, respectively.
Hassan said the carriageway is approximately 54 kilometres long and passes through hilly and difficult terrain, factors that are also considered when setting toll rates.
Verdict: The NHA increased the toll on the Islamabad Muzaffarabad Dual Carriageway to Rs300 each way from July 10, 2026. The charge is a toll, not a new tax imposed by the Punjab government.
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2026-08-13 16:08:00
