ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination on Thursday recommended the introduction of a regular vehicle emission testing mechanism in Islamabad and called for updating the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997, to bring it in line with current environmental challenges and international commitments.

The committee, which met here under Chairperson Munaza Hassan, also expressed concern over the absence of a National Environment Report for a decade and was informed by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) that the report, the first since 2016, was being prepared in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and would be published by Dec 15, 2026.

The committee meeting reviewed the statutory mandate, institutional capacity and enforcement performance of the Pak-EPA under the 1997 law.

The chairperson expressed reservations over inconsistencies in data provided in the briefs submitted to the committee. Officials said consultations for the new national environment report had been continuing for about a year and the report would cover the last five years.

The committee was briefed on measures being taken to monitor and control air pollution.

Pak-EPA officials said air monitoring systems were being established and that efforts were under way to control transport-related pollution, including cooperation with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for introducing electric buses in Islamabad.

The chairperson, however, stressed that the agency should focus on prevention of pollution instead of relying mainly on monitoring.

She also questioned the implementation of the Air Quality Management Plan and sought details of its short-term measures. Members recommended that car-pooling be encouraged among officials of the ministry and Pak-EPA through a social media campaign to reduce vehicular emissions.

Regarding diesel-powered commercial vehicles, officials said 50 vehicles had so far been inspected and 11 fined. The committee observed that spot checks were insufficient and called for regular inspections and mandatory emission testing of vehicles operating in Islamabad.

The committee was also informed that Pak-EPA was following the National Environmental Quality Standards issued in 2010, which officials said were comparable with standards followed by other countries in the region.

The committee sought a report on water testing, applicable standards and the performance of environmental laboratories. It also proposed visits to such laboratories to assess their capacity.

Officials said the agency was facing shortages of funds and staff and was moving towards digitisation. In response, members sought details of ministry and agency employees serving on deputation, along with reasons for their postings.

The committee also recommended strengthening the ministry’s social media presence and updating the schedule of the 1997 Act, particularly regarding international environmental treaties.

A briefing by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board on the Margalla Hills National Park and other protected areas was deferred due to the absence of its chairperson.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2026