Punjab authorities have announced stricter enforcement measures against air pollution, including the suspension of driving licences for motorists operating smoke-emitting vehicles, as part of an expanded campaign to curb smog ahead of the winter season.
The decision was announced on Sunday by Chief Traffic Officer Syed Abdul Raheem Shirazi under the provincial government’s anti-smog initiative launched on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to tackling air pollution, Shirazi said traffic police would maintain a zero-tolerance policy against vehicles responsible for excessive emissions as Lahore prepares for the annual smog season.
He added that traffic police were deploying an artificial intelligence-based detection system to identify highly polluting vehicles. He also said letters had been sent to various government departments, urging them to ensure that official vehicle fleets complied with environmental regulations.
Highlighting the scale of the enforcement campaign, Shirazi said more than 114,000 smoke-emitting vehicles had been fined during the current fiscal year. Authorities had also registered 1,401 cases under the anti-smog campaign, taken action against more than 53,000 vehicles transporting uncovered construction materials, and penalised around 188,000 unfit vehicles.
Under the latest measures, commercial vehicles found breaching emission standards will also have their route permits suspended. The city traffic police have further barred the entry of tractor-trolleys and dumpers carrying sand, soil or other construction materials without protective tarpaulin covers, warning that legal action will be taken against violators.