Pakistan boosts anti-smog measures as Islamabad cracks down on emissions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal environmental regulator, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, has intensified enforcement against winter smog in the capital, inspecting more than 1,000 vehicles and seizing over 80 that failed to meet emissions standards, the Press Information Department said on Sunday.

The nationwide agency, commonly known as Pak-EPA, is leading the operation with support from the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration.

Director General Nazia Zaib Ali said the stepped-up effort is part of a multi-tiered strategy to control air pollution during the peak smog season.

“The transport sector remains the largest contributor to deteriorating air quality, accounting for nearly 43% of smog-forming emissions in Punjab,” Ali said. “We cannot allow non-compliant vehicles to poison the city’s air and endanger public health.”

Since the crackdown began on December 1, enforcement teams have issued more than 300 challans and expanded infrastructure by opening four new Emission Testing Stations at D-Chowk, Lake View Park, Metro Cash & Carry, and F-9 Park, where vehicle owners can obtain compliance certificates.

Industrial emitters are also facing heightened scrutiny.

All 30 brick kilns in Islamabad have shifted to cleaner zigzag technology, while three non-compliant kilns were demolished. Inspections in Sangjani found 32 of 48 marble factories compliant and three sealed, with round-the-clock monitoring of steel units in the I-10 industrial zone.

Pak-EPA Director Dr Zaigham Abbas said the agency is enforcing “zero tolerance toward outdated and polluting technologies,” adding that industries are being encouraged to shift to cleaner production systems.

Short-term actions include anti-smog guns and stricter roadside checks. Medium- and long-term plans focus on expanding air-quality monitoring, tree plantation drives, and implementing Pakistan’s Electric Vehicle Policy 2025 and National Clean Air Policy 2023.

Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Saleem Shaikh said public outreach campaigns are under way and 28 entities have received personal hearing notices for non-compliance.

Ali urged residents to reduce unnecessary travel, use masks on high-smog days, improve indoor air quality and avoid open burning. “The federal environmental watchdog’s efforts alone will not be enough without public support,” she said.