ISLAMABAD: As the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s newly established constitutional bench began functioning on Thursday, it sought reports from all four provinces on actions taken to curb toxic air amid the current smog situation.
According to the list the constitutional bench comprises off Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.
It is pertinent to note the first ever constitutional bench in Supreme Court was established through 26th Constitutional Amendment passed by parliament on October 21 2024.
As Pakistan residents suffer from harmful smog, with Lahore ranking highest on pollution charts today as well, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has also sought a long-term policy to curb smog.
The environmental petition taken up by the Constitutional Bench underscores the dire need to address the issue as Pakistan is faced with the dilemma of smog. Lahore the provincial metropolis of Punjab has been top of the list with world most polluted cities for days.
The provincial government of Punjab has shut down all the schools till 17th of the month as thousands of children besides general public suffer from throat and eye infections.
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It is worth mentioning that Punjab government is also considering artificial rain to curtail the smog.
Motorways in central Punjab are also shut-down and travellers are asked to seek advise before going from one city to another.
Background
The constitutional bench of the apex court resumed a 2007 hearing of a public plea against pollution caused by industrial units in Islamabad, according to daily Dawn.
The pleas were filed by Nazir Ahmed and other residents of Islamabad regarding environmental degradation causing respiratory infections, asthma, allergies and heart ailments since the formation of industrial units, particularly steel furnaces and marble units, in the Federal Capital Industrial Estate.
