Lahore cracks down on polluting vehicles amid worsening smog

Raids at bus terminals led to dozens of fines issued to vehicles found emitting excessive smoke

In a bid to curb 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 at bus terminals along Bund Road led to dozens of fines issued to vehicles found emitting excessive smoke, while 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 move is part of a larger effort to mitigate 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 Punjab cities appeared to be spreading its toxic grip across other parts of the country on Saturday while wreaking havoc on transportation and triggering lockdown-like restrictions.

As Lahore remains the most polluted city on the global charts, the dense haze shows no sign of letting up, grounding train schedules, causing motorways to shut down, and impacting daily life.

Following Lahore, other cities rank high on the pollution scale. Multan leads with an alarming 2135 AQI, while Peshawar, Islamabad, and other cities also report 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 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.

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.