Pareesa Afreen 
Oct 28, 2025
The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday declared a province-wide ban on vehicles that do not have a valid green sticker, effective November 15, as part of an aggressive strategy to tackle increasing air pollution and smog.
EPA Director General Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh said: "Exhaust testing will be mandatory on all vehicles operating for the city of Lahore, and the EPA will announce their toughest anti-pollution campaign of all time."
"From November 15, any vehicle found driving on the roadway without an exhaust testing system (ETS) certificate or a green sticker will be impounded," Dr Sheikh continued. "Only vehicles that meet environmental standards will be allowed to remain on the road."
The EPA said emissions testing and noise testing will both be required under the new enforcement policy.
Emission testing systems were included formally in July of 2024 as an exhaust testing programme for vehicles in advance of the smog season.
In the first phase of enforcement, vehicles that were manufactured between 2010 and 2015 that constitute a higher degree of air pollution will be targeted.
The agency reminded motorists that the cutoff date for obtaining the green sticker had been August 31; with compliance low, the green sticker was due to the extension until November 15.
A zero-tolerance policy is now being implemented against vehicles that fail to meet emission standards, with violators facing legal action and seizure of their vehicles.
