To address the escalating smog issue in Lahore, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has taken a decisive step by mandating fines for cafes found in violation of closing time regulations.

This directive emerged during a hearing on an environmental petition, where a member of the Judicial Commission revealed that an alarming 95% of cafes in Johar Town were operating beyond the prescribed hours, underscoring the severity of the problem.

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The Assistant Commissioner of Model Town, in his testimony, attributed the failure to enforce timely closures to election duty responsibilities. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Lahore High Court has now mandated fines for cafes that fail to comply with the stipulated closing times.

For the initial offense, a fine of Rs.2 lacs will be imposed, escalating to a more substantial Rs. 5 lac for a subsequent violation. Furthermore, the court has directed that cafes found in breach of the regulations for a third time will face closure. It is noteworthy that the Lahore High Court had previously issued an order requiring all cafes to shut down by 10 PM.