Key points
- Vehicles that fail emission tests will face strict penalties
- Islamabad had already seen air quality improvements: Minister
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday formally launched a vehicle emission testing campaign in Islamabad, with Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry inaugurating the initiative.
The launch event, held under the shadow of growing environmental concerns, featured a symbolic moment as the Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA) inspected the minister’s own vehicle using state-of-the-art emission testing equipment. The campaign, officials said, marks a determined step towards cleaner air and environmental accountability.
Speaking at the event, Talal Chaudhry highlighted that the campaign is part of a broader set of reforms in Islamabad initiated under directives from the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Interior. “This is not just about roads and buildings — it’s about the air we breathe,” he said, stressing the urgent need to curb vehicular pollution.
Urgent action
Chaudhry pointed to the worsening air quality in the capital, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) has in some areas crossed 200, a level deemed hazardous to public health. He said vehicle emissions are among the top contributors to the city’s environmental decline.
To tackle the issue head-on, the government has imported internationally certified testing equipment and launched inspections beginning with government vehicles. A dedicated testing facility will soon be established near the Old Parade Ground to streamline the process.
In a show of transparency, Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon voluntarily submitted his vehicle for the first test, setting what Chaudhry called “a public example of leadership by action.”
Vehicles that pass the emission test will be issued barcoded stickers, while those that fail will face strict penalties. “No smoke-emitting vehicle will be allowed to enter Islamabad,” the minister said firmly.
Crackdown on polluters
Chaudhry also thanked the Punjab government for sending trained teams and equipment to support the campaign. He noted that Islamabad had already seen air quality improvements due to the shutdown of traditional brick kilns — now replaced by zigzag technology kilns — and this new initiative would build on that momentum.
He reiterated that enforcement will be strict and indiscriminate. “Polluting vehicles threaten public health — they will be fined, and they will be removed from our roads.”
Friday’s launch concluded with a renewed government pledge to hold polluters accountable and restore environmental balance in the capital. With Islamabad’s skies darkened by increasing pollution levels in recent years, the vehicle emission testing campaign signals a long-overdue clean-air push — one that starts with government responsibility and aims for nationwide change.
