Islamabad has launched checkpoints and emissions inspections after winter smog worsened, fining drivers and impounding repeatedly polluting vehicles. Authorities say more than 300 fines and 80 impoundments were recorded in the first week after the December 7 crackdown. The city has logged seven "very unhealthy" PM2.5 days this month and a 2024 average of 52.3 µg/m³—well above the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Experts blame vehicle emissions for roughly 53% of the capital's toxic PM2.5 pollution.
Islamabad Puts Drivers on Notice as Winter Smog Surges
The Shah Faisal Mosque engulfed in dense smog due to severe air pollution in Islamabad (Aamir QURESHI)(Aamir QURESHI/AFP/AFP)
Islamabad has stepped up enforcement against high-emitting vehicles as winter smog intensifies, setting up checkpoints and emissions-testing stations at key entry points to the capital. Authorities are fining drivers, impounding persistently polluting vehicles and issuing green stickers to cars that pass emissions checks.
Checkpoint Crackdown
Police stopped truck driver Muhammad Afzal this week after thick diesel smoke was seen coming from his exhaust. Officers fined him 1,000 rupees (about $3.60) and warned that his vehicle could be impounded unless the fault was fixed. Afzal told AFP he had recently driven from Lahore after a repair and protested that officers had accelerated the engine to force smoke out.
"This is unfair," Afzal said. "They pressed the accelerator to make it release smoke. It's an injustice."
What Authorities Are Doing
Checkpoints established beginning December 7 are part of a broader enforcement drive by Pakistan's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr Zaigham Abbas, who surveyed a checkpoint at the southeast edge of the capital, said owners were warned of "stern action" and that non-compliant vehicles could be denied entry to Islamabad. EPA chief Nazia Zaib Ali reported that in the first week more than 300 fines were issued and 80 vehicles were impounded.
The city has also opened emissions-testing stations where drivers can have their vehicles inspected; those that pass receive a green sticker to display on the windshield.
Health, Causes and Data
Winter months often bring atmospheric inversions that trap pollutants near the ground, worsening smog. So far this December Islamabad recorded seven "very unhealthy" days for PM2.5, with intraday spikes that sometimes exceed those in Lahore and Karachi. In 2024 the city's annual average PM2.5 concentration was 52.3 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), higher than Lahore's 46.2 µg/m³ and far above the World Health Organization's guideline of 5 µg/m³.
Research from the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative attributes roughly 53% of the capital region's toxic PM2.5 emissions to the transport sector, driven largely by a reliance on private cars and many older, poorly maintained vehicles. Islamabad's sprawling design and limited public transit contribute to high personal vehicle use.
Voices From the City
Technician Waleed Ahmed, who inspects vehicles at a checkpoint, defended the checks: "Just like a human being, a vehicle has a life cycle. Those that cross it release smoke that is dangerous to human health."
Resident Iftikhar Sarwar, 51, said pollution has begun affecting his family: "I never needed medicine before but now I get allergies if I don't take a tablet in the morning." Anthropologist Sulaman Ijaz warned of a generational impact: "This is not the Islamabad I came to 20 years ago. I feel uneasy when I think about what I will say if my daughter asks for clean air — that is her basic right."
Outlook
Authorities say enforcement will continue through the winter, but some residents worry that vehicle checks alone may not be enough without broader improvements in public transport, stricter vehicle standards and long-term pollution controls. For now, checkpoints and fines aim to reduce the most polluting sources and give relief to residents during the worst months.
