LEGHARI V. FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN

The case of Leghari v. Federation of Pakistan centered on the government's failure to implement the National Climate Change Policy of 2012 and the Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy (2014-2030). The Lahore High Court ruled in September 2015 that this delay violated citizens' fundamental rights to life and human dignity. To ensure compliance, the court mandated the appointment of climate change point-persons in government ministries and established a Climate Change Commission. By January 2018, a report indicated that 66% of the priority actions from the Framework had been implemented between September 2015 and January 2017. The case is noted for emphasizing climate adaptation rights in the global south.

• The Lahore High Court ruled that the Pakistani government's delay in executing the Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy (2014-2030) constituted a violation of the fundamental rights of its citizens.
• The court's decision was based on the right to life (including a healthy environment) and the right to human dignity under Articles 9 and 14 of Pakistan’s Constitution, as well as international principles such as the precautionary principle, sustainable development, intergenerational equity, and the public trust doctrine.
• To enforce the judgement, the court required government ministries to designate climate change point-persons and created a Climate Change Commission consisting of scientific experts, civil society, and ministry representatives to track progress.
• A report submitted to the court in January 2018 found that 66% of the priority actions outlined in the Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy were implemented between September 2015 and January 2017.
• The case is significant for shifting the focus of prominent climate litigation toward the global south and for prioritizing the right to climate adaptation over mitigation.

APA

Natural Justice (2021). LEGHARI V. FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Leghari-v.-Federation-of-Pakistan.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. LEGHARI V. FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN. 2021. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Leghari-v.-Federation-of-Pakistan.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=LEGHARI V. FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN |date=December 2021 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Leghari-v.-Federation-of-Pakistan.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2021leghari, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{LEGHARI V. FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Leghari-v.-Federation-of-Pakistan.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }