Pakistan ramps up single-use plastic ban with fines and confiscations in Islamabad

The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration have carried out multiple “crackdowns” on the use of single-use plastic amid waste removal campaigns ahead of tomorrow’s World Environment Day.

Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, banned single-use plastic in the city and administration area in 2023. The legislature prohibits manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling, and using single-use plastics.

Pak-EPA is a government agency that implements environmental policies, regulations, and programs in Pakistan. 

In recent weeks, Pak-EPA has enforced the 2023 Single-Use Plastics (Prohibition) Regulation, inspecting establishments in the city center, including bakeries, wholesale plastic bag suppliers, hotels, dry fruit, butchers, and vegetable merchants.

Legislation offenders can face the seizure of banned items and fines.

During an “enforcement operation” on May 14, the authorities confiscated 250 kg of single-use plastic, gave warnings to 26 businesses, fined four were, and “sealed” five shops. 

In its inspections, Pak-EPA targeted local businesses, like grocery stores, in Islamabad.Five arrests were also made for non-compliance and resistance. 

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to eradicating single-use plastics from the capital city. We are working toward a cleaner, greener Islamabad through regular inspections and strict enforcement,” says Pak-EPA.

During another enforcement operation, Pak-EPA targeted single-use plastics in businesses in the G-9 Peshawar Morr Market, Safa Gold Mall, and Rana Market areas of central Islamabad. In this inspection, over 300 kg of single-use plastic items were confiscated, and seven shopkeepers were fined Rs 45,000 (US$158.92) for violating the 2023 regulation. 

Progress, not perfection

Through the inspections, the Pak-EPA and the ICT Administration aim to ensure compliance with the single-use plastic ban, particularly the ban on PE bags.

An inspection on May 23 targeted the key commercial area, Sector G-6, in Islamabad. 

“During the operation, over 15 kg of single-use plastic items were confiscated, and six warnings were issued to shopkeepers found violating the regulations,” says Pak-EPA. 

“Encouragingly, most shops are now complying with the Single-Use Plastics (Prohibition) Regulations by using environmentally friendly bags.” 

According to the Pakistani Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, the intensified inspection drive is part of a larger nationwide aim to eliminate plastic waste. 

For World Environment Day, Pak-EPA organized a single-use plastic clean-up in Islamabad, shedding light on the city’s plastic pollution problem.Continued efforts 

After two weeks of inspections and “crackdowns,” Pak-EPA continues to pursue a plastic-waste-free Islamabad. At the start of June, in response to World Environment Day 2025, the environmental agency conducted a two-day clean-up at Margalla Hills Trail 5 in Islamabad. 

Forty volunteers from universities, civil society organizations, and the local community collected over 500 kg of plastic waste, including wrappers, single-use items, bottles, and other non-biodegradable materials.

Although the event centered around clean-up, it highlighted sustainable waste management systems, environmentally conscious consumption, and habitat protection. 

Aisha Humera, secretary at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, urged the community to adopt sustainable habits, indicating the dangers of plastic pollution to oceans, food systems, and health. 

Moreover, the director general of Pak-EPA emphasized that the drive was “as much about changing habits as cleaning trails, calling on citizens to take responsibility for their environment.”

“This drive set a powerful tone for Environment Week, showcasing how collective action and civic responsibility can drive real change. We remain committed to fostering public engagement, enforcement, and collaboration for a cleaner, greener Pakistan,” concludes Pak-EPA.