Public Interest Law Association of Pakistan v. Province of Punjab

On February 2, 2023, the Supreme Court of Pakistan held that Punjab's Mines and Minerals Department must obtain any required Initial Environmental Examination or Environmental Impact Assessment before inviting bids for small-scale mining licenses for sand, gravel, and sandstone. The Court found that requiring the successful bidder to obtain environmental approval only after bidding defeated the purpose of environmental review.

The Court required a climate-proof mining policy under which climate risks to mining areas are integrated into environmental assessment. It directed the Department to develop guidelines and standard operating procedures and recommended enforceable penalties in licenses for violations of environmental management plans. The climate analysis was part of the Court's operative reasoning on the timing and content of environmental review.