In a decisive move to tackle Lahore’s persistent smog problem, authorities have intensified enforcement of early market closures, sealing dozens of shops, wedding halls, and restaurants across the city. The crackdown follows a Lahore High Court (LHC) mandate requiring all markets to close by 8 p.m. daily and remain shut on Sundays.
In total, 75 shops and several wedding halls have been sealed for violating the new closing hours. Additionally, 14 restaurants were shut down for defying the ban on outdoor dining. The enforcement sweep covered multiple areas of Lahore:
- In Shalimar Tehsil, 9 shops and 3 restaurants were sealed.
- City Tehsil saw 4 shops closed for staying open past designated hours.
- In Ravi Tehsil, authorities sealed 12 shops.
- Raiwind Tehsil witnessed the closure of 4 restaurants and 4 shops.
- Cantonment Tehsil had 5 shops and 3 restaurants sealed.
- In Saddar Tehsil, 5 shops were shut down for non-compliance.
The LHC’s order, issued by Justice Shahid Karim, aims to address the severe smog affecting Lahore. Justice Karim emphasized the need for effective measures, noting the lack of action despite numerous hearings. He expressed a preference for enforceable orders to ensure compliance.
The court’s ruling came after various government departments presented performance reports on their smog mitigation efforts. In addition to market closures, the court instructed authorities to limit vehicle access to motorways and the Ring Road and to impose a complete ban on the entry of trucks and trailers into the city.
