ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad district administration has launched a major crackdown on the use and sale of banned plastic bags, arresting 81 people, confiscating 263 kilogrammes of plastic bags and sealing several shops across the capital.
The operations were carried out in all subdivisions on the directions of the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad as part of the administration’s enforcement campaign against violations of the plastic bag ban.
In the I-9 subdivision, the Assistant Commissioner’s team confiscated 33 kilogrammes of plastic bags, arrested 23 people and sealed two shops.
In Nilore, operations in Khanna and Shahzad Town led to the arrest of 15 people. Officials also seized 20 kilogrammes of plastic bags and sealed two shops.
The Assistant Commissioner Rural conducted operations in Humak and Lohi Bher, arresting 11 people and recovering 30 kilogrammes of banned bags.
In the City subdivision, 18 people were arrested and 10 kilogrammes of plastic bags were confiscated.
The Potohar subdivision recorded four arrests, while officials seized 140 kilogrammes of plastic bags. The administration also reported that a separate operation last week had removed another 200 kilogrammes of plastic bags from the market.
In the Secretariat subdivision, 10 people were arrested, two shops were sealed and 30 kilogrammes of plastic bags were recovered.
Deputy Commissioner Islamabad announced a zero-tolerance policy against violations of the plastic bag ban and directed all assistant commissioners to submit daily reports on enforcement activities.
Plastic bags contribute to environmental pollution, block drainage systems and can harm wildlife when improperly discarded. Reducing their use and promoting reusable alternatives are important steps towards cleaner communities and better waste management.
The administration said enforcement operations would continue across the capital to ensure compliance with the ban.
