Punjab’s First Mobile Testing Lab Starts Surprise Checks on Petrol Pumps
Faisalabad – In a significant move to tackle worsening air quality and rampant fuel adulteration, the Punjab government has launched a dedicated Mobile Fuel Testing Laboratory in Faisalabad.
The unit is now fully operational and has begun extensive, real-time inspections of petrol pumps across the division, marking a significant step in the province’s broader anti-smog strategy.
The state-of-the-art mobile lab, provided for the Faisalabad division, is designed to perform on-the-spot analysis of petrol and diesel quality. This capability allows authorities to immediately detect any adulteration, mixing of substandard components, or the use of smuggled fuel, enabling quick enforcement action against violators.
Campaign Targets Over 1,000 Stations
Divisional Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar confirmed the mobile unit’s functionality, stating that its first day of operation included collecting and testing fuel samples from six petrol stations.
“The newly deployed mobile unit ensures real-time verification of locally-sourced and smuggled fuel,” Commissioner Anwar said. “This comprehensive sampling campaign will cover over 1,000 petrol pumps across the division to ensure absolute compliance with government standards.”
The effort is positioned as a direct response to vehicular emissions, which are identified as a major contributor to smog in the region. By ensuring only high-quality, unadulterated fuel is sold, the administration aims to reduce harmful emissions and improve public health significantly.
Part of a Modernized Monitoring System
The mobile lab in Faisalabad is part of a broader modernization effort across Punjab’s environmental protection and monitoring infrastructure.
The province now operates three fixed, modern fuel-testing laboratories in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan to support the mobile units through detailed cross-verification.
Furthermore, the government has boosted its vehicle emissions control efforts by deploying 100 portable emission analyzers across multiple districts. Lahore alone has 22 fixed testing stations, which have reportedly inspected more than 260,000 vehicles this year.
