Islamabad seizes vehicles, razes kilns in pollution blitz

December 08, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan’s environmental authorities intensified enforcement against winter smog in the federal capital this month, more than 1,000 diesel vehicles were checked during the campaign, over 80 vehicles were impounded and 300 challans were issued.

Authorities also razed three non-compliant brick kilns as part of a multi-tier plan to combat worsening air pollution, according to the press release.

The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) escalated its operations after December 1. The drive was carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC).

Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration were also part of the joint effort.

Officials said recent research shows the transport sector remains the largest contributor to smog-forming pollutants in Punjab with a share near 43%, while a 2023 Urban Unit study placed Lahore’s share at 83%.

Four new Emission Testing Stations now operate at D-Chowk, Lake View Park, Metro Cash & Carry and F-9 Park. These stations issue compliance certificates after vehicle inspections.

Pak-EPA Director General Nazia Zaib Ali said enforcement teams conduct daily checks at major entry points to prevent non-compliant vehicles from entering Islamabad.

She said anti-smog guns, real-time inspections and strict penalties form the core of the immediate response to deteriorating air quality.

Industrial monitoring also intensified across the capital. Pak-EPA Director Dr Zaigham Abbas said all 30 brick kilns in Islamabad shifted to zigzag technology after earlier directives.

Three kilns that failed to comply were demolished. In Sangjani, where 48 marble factories operate, 32 units met environmental standards and 16 remain under scrutiny.

Three marble factories have been sealed. Two steel units in the I-10 Industrial Area remain under continuous surveillance through live camera feeds installed in 2018 to monitor stack emissions and raw material handling. Routine inspections of factories across the capital continue.

Short-term actions under the agency’s plan include the deployment of anti-smog guns in hotspot areas, tighter checks on ageing and high emission vehicles and more frequent monitoring of industrial emissions.

Joint enforcement by Pak-EPA, CDA and ICT Administration continues to expand.

Medium-term steps include expansion of the air quality monitoring network, greater technical capacity within Pak-EPA, coordination with provincial EPAs to address cross-border pollution sources and extensive tree plantation drives.

The legal framework for environmental protection is also under revision.

Long-term goals include implementation of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2025, an old-vehicle retirement mechanism, wider availability of clean fuels and enforcement of the National Clean Air Policy 2023 for sustained improvements in air quality.

Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Saleem Shaikh said awareness campaigns have begun across print, electronic and digital media.

Pak-EPA directed all government and private organisations in Islamabad to test their vehicle fleets at certified laboratories. Twenty-eight organisations received personal hearing notices for failure to comply.

DG Nazia Zaib Ali called for public cooperation and urged residents to reduce unnecessary travel, use masks on high-smog days, improve indoor air quality and avoid open burning of waste.

She said Islamabad can avoid severe smog episodes seen in Lahore if citizens support the enforcement measures already under way.

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