Lahore [Pakistan], October 12 Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, senior puisne judge of Pakistan's Supreme Court, has lashed out at governments for neglecting ordinary citizens, asserting that policymaking in the country has long remained hostage to "elite capture", as reported by Dawn.
According to Dawn, while speaking at Breathe Pakistan's session titled "Judicial Activism and Litigation for Clean Air in Pakistan", Justice Shah lamented that Pakistan's governance priorities have consistently served industrial and political interests rather than addressing the challenges of common people.
"Everything that is done caters to the elite or pressure groups; the ordinary citizen simply doesn't matter," he said.
Moderated by senior advocate Faisal Siddiqui, the session focused on judicial and civic responses to air pollution and environmental degradation. Justice Shah, known for his public interest rulings, said he had realised through his legal and judicial career that "the ordinary person is irrelevant in our policymaking." He clarified that while development was essential, it must be pursued intelligently and sustainably.
The Supreme Court judge also criticised Pakistan's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), calling it a department "entirely captured by the government." Citing the Imrana Tiwana case, he noted that even the judiciary had previously observed complete regulatory failure within the EPA.
"Can the EPA ever tell a provincial government that a project is not permissible?" he asked, questioning the institution's independence and expertise. Justice Shah urged civil society to be more assertive in environmental litigation, warning that without public engagement, no authority would act to safeguard citizens' rights. "If you don't fight for your rights, nobody will," he stated, as highlighted by Dawn.
He also emphasised the need to train judges in environmental law and called for establishing "climate courts" and "climate finance" mechanisms to address worsening ecological challenges.
Justice Ayesha A Malik, who also spoke at the event, echoed his views, noting that weak enforcement and poor governance were undermining Pakistan's environmental protection efforts, as reported by Dawn.
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