Smog fight: LHC orders Sunday shutdown of Lahore markets
“The Lahore High Court mandated a Sunday shutdown for commercial activity and enforced 10pm closures to tackle smog.”
Key points
- The Lahore High Court mandated a Sunday shutdown for commercial activity and enforced 10pm closures to tackle smog.
- With AQI readings in the hazardous range, officials were told to submit regular progress reports on mitigation steps.
The Lahore High Court ordered a complete halt to commercial activity every Sunday in Lahore to counter worsening smog. Hearing environmental petitions, Justice Shahid Karim also directed strict enforcement of a 10pm closing time for markets, restaurants and marriage halls.
Officials told the court that Lahore's air quality index hovered in the "hazardous" range, with readings above 300 on Tuesday morning, according to IQAir. The bench sought regular progress briefings from the environment department and asked the Water and Sanitation Agency to submit updates on ongoing sewerage projects tied to traffic and dust concerns.
The orders add to winter anti-smog measures aimed at reducing emissions from transport, industry and seasonal crop burning that trap pollutants across Punjab during cooler, stagnant conditions.
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