The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday heard multiple petitions seeking effective measures to control smog in the region.
Justice Shahid Karim, presiding over the hearing, directed all schools to re-register within a month and emphasised the implementation of a school bus policy. He ordered School Education Secretary Khalid Nazir to cancel the registration of schools that fail to comply with bus policy.
Nazir presented proposed regulations for private schools, highlighting that new registrations would require schools to provide bus services. “We have made a policy where only schools having buses will be registered,” he stated, adding that buses would be mandatory under the revised rules.
Justice Karim underscored the seriousness of the issue, pointing out that school owners possess ample resources to implement the policy. He instructed the government to finalize the rules and ensure compliance before the next smog season.
The court also sought a detailed traffic plan from the Lahore Development Authority director general and highlighted violations on Multan Road, including inadequate adherence to traffic rules. "There are bus depots and societies on Multan Road where traffic rules are not being followed," the court remarked.
Justice Karim expressed satisfaction with the government's efforts to combat smog but stressed the urgency of the matter. “The issue of the environment has become very serious, and no more time should be wasted,” he remarked.
During the proceedings, the judge also questioned the jurisdiction of Aitchison College. The school secretary told the court that Aitchison College fell under the Higher Education Department, and Justice Karim instructed the Punjab government’s lawyer to inform the institution of the policy changes.
The petitions, filed by Haroon Farooq and others, reflect growing public concern over environmental degradation and its health implications. Justice Karim reiterated the importance of implementing all court orders before the next smog season to ensure tangible progress.
The Punjab government’s legal representative, Advocate Hassan Ijaz, assured the court of continued efforts to address the environmental crisis.
