Sindh govt orders action against smoke-emitting vehicles

Polluting vehicles will face a crackdown as the Sindh Environment Department has intensified action in the province, where in 133 inspections in nine days, 39 vehicles were fined and red warning stickers were issued during a drive.

There will be no tolerance for smoke-emitting vehicles and people should fix their vehicles or they will face a ban, warns Secretary Agha Shah Nawaz. Officials said the government has launched a strict crackdown on smoke-emitting vehicles across Karachi as part of its Vehicular Emission Control Campaign, which began on May 5 and will continue until May 29. The initiative, led by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development, is being carried out under a zero-tolerance policy ordered by the department’s secretary, Agha Shah Nawaz. In coordination with the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the traffic police, the campaign aims to curb air pollution caused by unfit and poorly maintained vehicles in the city.

According to official data, 133 vehicles have been inspected over the past nine days. Of these, 94 passed the emissions test, while 39 were found non-compliant and were issued on-the-spot challans (fines). Red stickers are being placed on the violators, serving as a 15-day warning to repair the vehicle, after which legal action may result in the vehicle being taken off the road. Green stickers indicate compliance with environmental standards.

Secretary Nawaz made it clear that there will be “zero tolerance, zero leniency” for those violating environmental laws. “No smoke-emitting vehicle will be allowed to remain on the road. Those that fail to meet environmental standards belong in workshops, not on Karachi’s roads,” he said.

He emphasised that the campaign is not simply a traffic enforcement drive but a public health mission. “This is about protecting the air that our children and elders breathe. It’s about clean air for all.”

The secretary has also instructed field officers to enforce the campaign strictly and warned of disciplinary action against any official found negligent. Citizens have been urged to ensure their vehicles meet fitness and emission standards, as authorities continue daily inspections across the city.