LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday restrained the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) from using parks for commercial activities. The court also directed the authority to restore at least two parks in the city to their original condition as model parks and remarked that the PHA should focus on maintaining parks instead of using them for commercial activities. The court also directed the PHA to approach the court-appointed environmental commission before undertaking any commercial activity in any park. The court passed these directions hearing petitions regarding the smog and other environmental issues and adjourned the proceedings till January 23. Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel told the court that an old tree had been felled under the pretext of road expansion near Data Darbar. The court directed the environment protection department to look into the matter. The lawyer also pointed out that the PHA was using parks for commercial purposes. The court observed that industrial units were the biggest cause of pollution and that there should be a proper regulatory mechanism for industrial units. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026