LHC halts tree cutting for Yellow Line project amid smog crisis

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has made a strong move in the ongoing case regarding smog with a two-page written order directing concerned authorities to submit compliance reports by July 11.

The decision of Justice Shahid Karim comes as the city struggles with deteriorating air quality that has turned into an annual environmental crisis.

In a connected development, the court scrutinized NESPAK’s initial feasibility report for the Yellow Line, drawing forth firm assurances of environmental safeguards. “All the trees along the route of the canal have been labelled carefully and will be saved,” NESPAK representatives assured the bench, leading the court to ask for their final report for verification.

Justice Karim asked the stakeholders to remember that both the LHC and the Supreme Court have laid strict precedents against indiscriminate felling of trees, directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to hire top-class international consultants for all large-scale development projects.

Smog ‘crackdown’: LHC issues key directives

The proceedings turned progressive when LDA officials released their visionary draft of the Green Buildings Policy 2025. The court appreciated the policy framework as “a model for sustainable urban development” that could revolutionize Lahore’s construction industry through green incentives.

Addressing another critical pollution source, the bench ordered CCPO Lahore to immediately clear all obstructed service lanes along one-way routes. “Traffic gridlock isn’t just a mobility crisis,  it’s choking our citizens,” Justice Karim observed, linking transportation management directly to public health outcomes.

The court also called PHA’s Director General to account for inflammatory remarks on tree removal policies, demonstrating the judiciary’s increasing irritation with bureaucratic doublespeak regarding the environment. With these orders given, the case remains adjourned for tracking implementation efforts.

This historic hearing sets new environmental accountability standards, placing Lahore’s judiciary as a proactive protector against ecological decay.