Command, Control, and Assuasive Measures: Policy-Based Information Dissemination in Environmental Governance of Pakistan

Aqsa Shabbir; Naveed Iqbal; Sahar Zia; Ali Hussain Kazim; Amina Mauzzam

Authors

Aqsa Shabbir Lahore College for Women University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
Naveed Iqbal Lahore College for Women University, Department of Mass Communication, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
Sahar Zia Lahore College for Women University, Department of Geography, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
Ali Hussain Kazim University of Engineering and Technology, Automotive Engineering Centre, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
Amina Mauzzam Lahore College for Women University, Department of Psychology, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan

Keywords:

Smog Mitigation, Environmental Policy, Air Quality Management, Public Awareness Campaigns, Policy Integration

Abstract

Smog is a significant environmental and public health issue in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, where the intensity of seasonal haze events has increased since 2016. The study analyzes government policies and initiatives from 2017 to 2025, focusing on three mitigation measures: command-and-control, economic, and assuasive, and identifies the weakest link in the current framework. A qualitative content analysis was conducted using national and provincial legislation, policy strategies, implementation reports, and media coverage, guided by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) environmental policy classification. The findings reveal that Punjab's smog control measures are primarily based on command-and-control measures, including industrial inspections, emission caps, and bans on high-pollution practices. Economic measures, including targeted subsidies for cleaner agricultural machinery, electric vehicle installment schemes, and initial proposals for an Emission Trading System, are emerging, but their scope is limited. Assuasive measures, which involve awareness campaigns and participatory tools, are underdeveloped, seasonal, and poorly integrated with enforcement and incentives. The absence of long-term environmental literacy programs and behavioral change initiatives hinders compliance with regulatory and market-based tools, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the policy. The study concludes that Punjab's long-term smog reduction necessitates a balanced approach to policy, prioritizing continuous, well-funded assuasive measures alongside legal enforcement and economic instruments, to foster a lasting environmental responsibility culture and improve air quality outcomes.

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