Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday announced a legal exemption for members of the Sikh community from wearing helmets while riding motorcycles, citing respect for their religious obligation to wear turbans. [locally known as dastars].
The order, given during a Christmas celebration ceremony in Lahore, comes amid a province-wide traffic crackdown following recent amendments to the Motor Vehicles Ordinance that sharply increased fines and penalties, particularly affecting two-wheeler riders who make up the bulk of Punjab’s road commuters.
रमेश सिंग आरोडह साहीब की बात हुम सब के दल की अवाज है The world saw those scenes that called the name نهاد سكولر داوون کی حقیقد عید عیکولر وه نقاب کسی بچی سه نہیں, ان کی منافعکت سی اطار گیا.
The purpose of the helmet is to preserve life. Sikh brotherhood is the identity and belief. with respect pic.twitter.com/7E6qbq6h1z— PMLN (@pmln_org) 25 December 2025
The exemption, if formally notified, would result in an exemption to Section 89-A of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, which mandates protective headgear for motorcyclists.
However, no official notification, amendment or order has yet been issued to operationalize the exemption. As of 26 December 2025, neither the Punjab government nor the Punjab Traffic Police have issued enforcement guidelines or clarified how eligibility would be verified on the roads.
Read: Sikh biker challenged for not wearing helmet despite exemption
The Punjab Traffic Police launched a strict enforcement drive in the last week of November after amendments to the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, raised fines and penalties for traffic violations. Thousands of arrests were made and fines worth millions of rupees were issued, with helmet-related offenses forming a significant part of the action.
The crackdown sparked a public backlash, with criticism of steep fines dominating social media, often in the form of memes. Concerns were also raised by members of the Sikh community, for whom wearing a turban is always a religious obligation, making wearing a helmet impractical.
Addressing the ceremony in the presence of the President of Pakistan, representatives of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), Union Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora and other minority leaders, the chief minister framed the move as part of a broader minority rights policy.
Moments before announcing the exemption, Maryam Nawaz criticized an incident in India in which a Muslim girl’s hijab was removed during a ceremony by a dignitary, calling it symbolic of what she described as India’s “hypocrisy towards secularism.”
She also pointed to the Punjab government’s recent move for minorities, including raising the quota for Minority Welfare Card from 75,000 to 100,000 beneficiaries.
No clarity on implementation
Despite widespread media coverage of the chief minister’s remarks, there is still no clarity on enforcement, including whether Sikh riders will need documentation, how traffic wardens will identify exceptions or when the law will be formally changed.
A Punjab government source said the decision follows several interactions between the chief minister and Sikh representatives, adding that parameters for implementation have been discussed and will be announced gradually.
The move has been widely welcomed by members of the Sikh community. Lahore resident Sardar Bishan Singh called it a “good decision” and said the government had shown respect for the cultural and religious significance of the turban.
However, some analysts warn that the exemption could spark wider religious debates, with members of other communities who wear headdresses – such as the pagri or ammama – potentially demanding similar treatment.
Read more: Sikh community exempted from helmet law in Peshawar
Similar exemptions for Sikh riders have been granted in other jurisdictions. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa allowed such an exception several years ago, while India has also incorporated it into the law through amendments. Comparable precedents exist in other regions with significant Sikh populations.
However, the announcement has also raised questions about road safety, with critics asking how the government plans to ensure the protection of Sikh riders in the absence of helmets, especially amid a crackdown aimed at reducing fatalities.
However, until formal notification is issued, the legal status of the exemption is uncertain, leaving both riders and traffic enforcers in a gray area.
