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LHC Orders Punjab Govt to Crack Down on Smoke-Emitting Vehicles Amid Rising Smog
Lahore High Court orders Punjab govt to launch a rigorous campaign against smoke-emitting vehicles to combat worsening smog. Justice Shahid Karim urges strict enforcement across cities.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-07
LHC Orders Punjab Govt to Crack Down on Smoke-Emitting Vehicles Amid Rising Smog

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday directed the Punjab government to launch a rigorous campaign against smoke-emitting vehicles across the province to tackle the worsening smog and air pollution crisis.

During the hearing of multiple petitions related to environmental pollution, Justice Shahid Karim remarked that smoke-emitting vehicles were a major source of smog.

“Whenever you go out, you see dozens of smoke-emitting vehicles on the roads,” the judge observed, stressing that the campaign must run for two to three weeks and be implemented strictly.

Justice Karim noted that vehicles travelling long routes — particularly from Lahore to Karachi — contributed significantly to air pollution.

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

Court Directives

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

The EPA official told the court that banners had been placed around the city. The judge then ordered the agency to deploy officers with police personnel at inter-city bus terminals and inspect vehicles at motorway toll plazas and along the GT Road from Lahore to Multan.

“If previous court orders had been implemented in letter and spirit, Lahore’s condition would have been different,” Justice Karim remarked, instructing authorities to take strict action against anyone responsible for spreading pollution.

The court also directed the Punjab law officer to arrange a joint meeting between the environment department, chief traffic officer, and transport department to coordinate anti-pollution measures.

EPA Updates and Lahore’s Air Quality

An EPA representative informed the court that authorities had seized 60 tons of old tyres from plants in South Punjab and other cities, preventing their illegal burning — a key contributor to smog.

Despite these efforts, Lahore continues to rank among the most polluted cities globally. According to IQAir, the city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 177 on Friday, ranking it the fifth most polluted city in the world, a level deemed “unhealthy.”

Earlier this week, the LHC criticized the city administration’s inaction on anti-smog measures, questioning the effectiveness of anti-smog guns and tree cutting practices. Justice Karim clarified that the proceedings were not meant to target any department but to guide and assist the government in restoring clean air to Lahore’s citizens.
Tagged:

Lahore

lhc

PunjabGovernment

AirPollution

SmogCrisis
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