Lahore: The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that vehicles without a valid “Green Sticker” will be barred from roads starting November 15, as part of an intensified crackdown on air pollution in Lahore.
EPA Director General Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh said that exhaust testing has been made mandatory for all vehicles operating in the city. “From November 15, any vehicle found without an Exhaust Testing System (ETS) certificate or a Green Sticker will be impounded,” he warned. “Only vehicles meeting Punjab’s environmental standards will be permitted to operate on the roads.”
He added that both emissions and noise testing have been made compulsory under the agency’s enforcement drive. The EPA’s zero-tolerance policy aims to remove smoke-emitting and noise-polluting vehicles from circulation ahead of the smog season.
The Emission Testing System (ETS) was formally launched in July 2024 to regulate vehicular pollution. In the first phase, vehicles manufactured between 2010 and 2015 are being targeted for compliance.
The agency said it has begun its strictest anti-pollution campaign to date, urging motorists to have their vehicles tested and certified immediately. The previous deadline for securing Green Stickers had been August 31, but enforcement was delayed to give owners more time for compliance.
Officials reiterated that vehicles not verified through the ETS would face legal action and confiscation, as part of the provincial government’s ongoing efforts to improve Lahore’s deteriorating air quality.
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