PESHAWAR, July 9, 2026 (Alliance News): The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday restrained the operation of a coal-fired power plant being established by Kohat Cement Factory in Kohat district until further orders over environmental concerns.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Inam Ullah Khan issued the interim order while hearing a petition filed by Mohammad Ziad Afridi and five other residents of Babri Banda.
The court directed that the coal-fired power plant should not be made operational until the next hearing and issued notices to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Health Department and other respondents, seeking detailed reports. The case was adjourned until July 30.
During the hearing, the petitioners argued that the cement factory is located only 200 metres from a residential area and that the proposed coal-fired power plant would significantly increase air pollution and pose health risks to nearby communities.
The petition further claimed that the project had been initiated without obtaining the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Environmental Protection Agency and that emissions from the existing cement plant had already contributed to environmental pollution and related health issues.
The petitioners requested the court to declare the construction and operation of the coal-fired power plant illegal and unconstitutional, set aside any environmental approval issued for the project, and permanently restrain the respondents from operating the facility.
They also sought directions for the provincial government and relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive, independent and transparent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project.
