Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, a senior judge on Pakistan’s Supreme Court, called on the government to focus on everyday people at the Breathe Pakistan event in Lahore on October 12. The session, titled “Judicial Activism and Litigation for Clean Air in Pakistan,” was moderated by senior advocate Faisal Siddiqui.
Shah warned that Pakistan’s policies have long been controlled by elite interests, not by ordinary citizens. “Everything we do serves the elite or pressure groups. Ordinary people simply don’t matter,” he said. He used his courtroom experience to explain how development can be smart and sustainable if it includes the public.
The judge also slammed the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (EPA). He said the agency is a government mouthpiece and that its own regulators found it to be ineffective. “Can the EPA ever tell a provincial government that a project is not permissible?” he asked. “If we don’t fight for our rights, no one will.” He urged civil society groups to step up environmental litigation and to hold the government accountable.
Shah warned that environmental problems will worsen without stronger legal tools. He called for judges to receive training in environmental law and for the creation of dedicated climate courts and climate‑finance mechanisms.
Justice Ayesha A. Malik, who also spoke at the event, agreed that weak enforcement and poor governance undermine Pakistan’s environmental protection efforts. The event highlighted the growing need for public involvement, judicial action, and new legal structures to protect air quality and public health in Pakistan.
Source: aninews
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