A petition in the Lahore High Court is pressing for urgent steps on smog in Pakistan today, asking judges to force stronger use of environmental protection laws across Punjab as air readings stay severe in and around Lahore.
The Judicial Activism Panel (JAP), through its chairman Advocate Azhar Siddique, filed the plea. It seeks measures against the worsening smog crisis in Punjab, a halt to unlawful tree cutting, and full enforcement of environmental rules. The petition says earlier written appeals and a final notice before litigation drew no meaningful reply from the government.
Air readings and what the petition claims
JAP told the court that the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) public dashboard showed an air quality index (AQI)—a simple score of how dirty the air is—of 340 in Lahore and 500 in Shahdara on 23 October. It also pointed to an IQAir reading of 410 for Lahore that day. Those levels sit far above what is considered healthy for outdoor breathing.
The petition argues that earlier court directions have not been carried out in practice. It points to a Lahore High Court judgment of 12 August 2026 in Haroon Farooq versus the government of Punjab and related cases. It lists vehicle exhaust, crop-stubble burning, factory pollution, construction dust, waste burning and loss of trees as main drivers of the crisis.
What the petitioners want the court to order
Among other relief, the plea asks for a “Smog and Climate Task Force” under the chief secretary, an emergency plan tied to clear AQI trigger points, public release of air-quality data, and regular compliance reports from departments. It also seeks protection of trees and greenbelts, open auditing of environmental fines and pollution charges, and ongoing court oversight until the government’s directions are followed.
Punjab’s recent anti-smog operations
In a parallel track, the Punjab government reported anti-smog checks over the last 24 hours. Teams inspected 64 industrial units, sealed one, issued notices to two and fined others, using drones in the industrial operation. They inspected 117 brick kilns, sealed one, imposed a Rs100,000 fine on another and registered a case. Fifteen barbecue points were checked and 10 suction hoods fitted. In 33 inspections, officials recovered 26kg of plastic.
Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said 53% of rice grown on 3,357,949 acres had been harvested and 187 balers were working in the province. She said only 114 crop-residue fires were reported and 55 cases registered, with campaigns urging modern harvesting machines and environment-friendly farm practices.
How far these steps will cut smog in Pakistan today remains for the court and the departments to show through data and follow-through.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Lahore High Court mein smog aur maholiyat ke qanoon lagoo karne ki darkhwast dair ho gayi hai. Oct 23 ko Lahore aur Shahdara ki hawa bohot gandi batayi gayi thi. Hukumat factories aur bhattion ki checkings kar rahi hai, lekin darkhwast ke mutabiq pehle faisle abhi tak theek se amal nahi hue. Aam logon ke liye matlab yeh hai ke saans lene wali hawa abhi kharab hai aur qanooni dabao isko sudharne ke liye barh raha hai.
