In a bid to curb the worsening air pollution and smog, the Environmental Protection Department, in coordination with local authorities and police, launched a major crackdown on violators of transport laws in Lahore.
Raids conducted at bus terminals along Bund Road resulted in dozens of fines issued to vehicles emitting excessive smoke. Additionally, 24 vehicles were impounded for breaching environmental regulations.
Officials inspected emissions from passenger buses and targeted non-compliant vehicles. Environmental Protection Secretary Raja Jahangir Anwar stated that similar actions would continue to enforce environmental standards and hold violators accountable.
“Strict measures will be taken against those failing to comply with environmental regulations,” he emphasised, reiterating the department’s commitment to addressing Lahore’s air quality crisis.
The crackdown is part of a broader effort to mitigate the severe smog conditions in Pakistan’s second-largest city, where pollution levels have increasingly alarmed health experts and residents alike.
The relentless smog that has smothered several cities in Punjab appeared to be spreading across other parts of the country on Saturday, wreaking havoc on transportation and triggering lockdown-like restrictions.
As Lahore remains the most polluted city globally, the dense haze shows no sign of letting up, grounding train schedules, shutting down motorways, and disrupting daily life.
After Lahore, other cities rank high on the pollution scale, with Multan leading at an alarming AQI of 2135. Peshawar, Islamabad, and other cities are also reporting high pollution levels.
On Saturday, air movement around Lahore was recorded at 4 km per hour, while Multan’s was at 6 km per hour, moving from north to south. The smog continues to worsen due to easterly winds from Indian regions, including Chandigarh, Saharanpur, Delhi, Haryana, Jalandhar, Jaipur, and Jodhpur.
According to meteorologists, the intense smog is expected to persist for the next two to three days, although a shift in wind direction from west to east might bring some relief.
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Meanwhile, in response to the worsening situation, authorities have shut down various parts of the motorway network. The M-5 Motorway from Multan to Zahir Peer has been temporarily closed due to reduced visibility.
