Punjab govt launches Smart Environment Protection Force

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has officially launched Pakistan’s first-ever SMART Environment Protection Force, a ground-breaking initiative which is intended to address environmental challenges through innovation and technology.

On April 21, 2025, the announcement was made through the social media platform ‘X,’ where Maryam Nawaz labelled the launch as a “milestone in Punjab’s journey toward environmental improvement.”

The SMART Environment Protection Force is fortified with state-of-the-art tools, which include drone shadowing, real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) monitors, and mobile laboratories.

These progressions are designed to enhance smart eco defenders and guarantee a cleaner, greener future for Punjab.

Dedicated and well-trained crews have been established to regulate critical sectors such as industry, water, plastic, agriculture, transport, and fuel.

The force is dedicated to ensuring prompt responses, productive implementation, and nonstop improvement in air quality.

CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif congratulated the Minister for Environment, Secretary of the Environment Protection Department (EPD), on the establishment of the SMART Environment Protection Force, Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and their teams for turning her vision into reality.

During her address, the Chief Minister highlighted the strong institutional reforms, stakeholder teamwork, and active citizen participation in achieving long-term environmental sustainability.

“Let us all pledge to strive wholeheartedly for the protection of our environment and play our part in mitigating the hazards of pollution through lasting solutions,” she requested.

This initiative not only sets a precedent for environmental governance in Pakistan but also underscores Punjab’s commitment to combating climate change and pollution through innovative measures.

Earlier, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif approved Rs 15 billion for farmers of the province under the wheat support fund under the Kisan Card programme, ARY News reported. The wheat farmers received direct financial support through the Kisan Card.

The Punjab government termed the package as the ‘first unique, exemplary and unprecedented’ in the history of the province for the wheat farmers in Punjab.