Drivers Warned: Islamabad Launches Smog Crackdown on Vehicles

Islamabad—Authorities in Islamabad have launched a major crackdown on polluting vehicles, signaling a stern commitment to tackling the capital’s escalating smog crisis, which is increasingly rivaling the air quality issues of Lahore and Karachi. According to The Tribune, checkpoints have been established across the city, putting drivers of old and poorly maintained vehicles on immediate notice.

The city’s air quality has deteriorated sharply, with PM2.5 particulate levels frequently surpassing those in Pakistan’s largest cities and far exceeding the World Health Organization’s safe limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Research from the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative pins the blame overwhelmingly on the transport sector, which it reports is responsible for 53% of the capital’s toxic PM2.5 output, labeling the situation a “self-inflicted crisis.”

To combat this, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a strict enforcement drive on December 7. Police and EPA officials are stopping trucks and cars, fining drivers up to 1,000 rupees ($3.60) for thick exhaust emissions, and threatening impoundment for non-compliance. In the first week alone, the crackdown resulted in over 300 fines and the impounding of 80 vehicles.

“We cannot allow non-compliant vehicles at any cost to poison the city’s air and endanger public health,” stated EPA chief Nazia Zaib Ali.

The city is also introducing official inspection stations where vehicles can be checked and, if compliant, receive a mandatory green sticker. The move comes as residents report worsening health issues, such as respiratory allergies, highlighting the growing need for drastic government intervention to restore Islamabad’s famously green environment.