WEB DESK: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has taken decisive action in the ongoing smog case, issuing a detailed two-page written order mandating compliance reports from concerned authorities by July 11. Justice Shahid Karim’s ruling comes as the city grapples with worsening air quality that has become an annual environmental emergency.
In a related development, the court reviewed NESPAK’s preliminary feasibility report for the Yellow Line project, extracting firm commitments about environmental protections. “All trees along the canal route have been properly tagged and will be preserved,” NESPAK officials assured the bench, prompting the court to demand their final report for verification. Justice Karim reminded stakeholders that both the LHC and Supreme Court have established clear precedents against indiscriminate tree removal, ordering the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to engage top-tier international consultants for all major development initiatives.
Smog ‘crackdown’: LHC issues key directives
The proceedings took a progressive turn when LDA officials presented their visionary Green Buildings Policy 2025 draft. The court praised the policy framework as “a model for sustainable urban development” that could transform Lahore’s construction sector through eco-friendly incentives.
Addressing another critical pollution source, the bench ordered CCPO Lahore to immediately clear all obstructed service lanes along one-way routes. “Traffic gridlock isn’t just a mobility crisis – it’s literally choking our citizens,” Justice Karim observed, linking transportation management directly to public health outcomes.
The court also summoned PHA’s Director General to explain controversial statements about tree removal policies, reflecting the judiciary’s growing impatience with bureaucratic doublespeak on environmental issues. With these directives issued, the case stands adjourned for monitoring implementation progress.
This landmark hearing establishes new environmental accountability benchmarks, positioning Lahore’s judiciary as an active guardian against ecological degradation.