Strict Action Ordered Against Smoke-Emitting Vehicles

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday directed the Punjab government to launch a strict campaign targeting smoke-emitting vehicles across the province to curb rising smog and air pollution.

During the hearing of petitions related to environmental pollution, Justice Shahid Karim remarked that smoke-belching vehicles were a common sight on the roads and a major contributor to Lahore’s worsening air quality.

He instructed provincial authorities to conduct a two to three-week-long operation and ensure full enforcement of the anti-smog measures. The judge particularly highlighted that vehicles traveling from Lahore to Karachi were worsening pollution levels.

Representatives from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Parks and Horticultural Authority (PHA), and other departments appeared before the court. Justice Karim expressed displeasure over the absence of a director-level EPA officer, despite earlier instructions.

Taking notice of vehicular emissions, the court ordered the EPA to display warning banners across Lahore, informing commuters that smoke-emitting vehicles would be impounded.

The EPA informed the bench that banners had been placed in several areas, after which the judge directed the agency to post officers with police at inter-city bus terminals and toll plazas.