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EIA Law Matrix
Pakistan
Legal Framework
EIA Procedure
Projects Requiring EIA: Government projects, Private projects
Abridged Assessments: Yes
Abridged Assessments Detail: Pakistan uses an initial environmental examination for certain types of projects. "Initial environmental examination" means a preliminary environmental review of the reasonably foreseeable qualitative and quantitative impacts on the environment of a proposed project to determine whether it is likely to cause an adverse environmental effect for requiring preparation of an environmental impact assessment. EP Act, sec. (2)(xxiv); see also EIA Regulations secs. 3, 12.
Best Practices in Lieu of EIA: No
Who Conducts Screening: Government
Who Conducts Screening Detail: "[T]he Federal Agency may direct the proponent of a project, whether or not listed in Schedule I or II, to file an IEE or EIA . . . ." EIA Regulations sec. 5(2)
Criteria for Screening: List or appendix of project or activity types, Proposed project or activity may cause significant environmental impact
Criteria for Screening Detail: EA Regulations sec. 5 + Schedules I & II
Who Prepares EIA: Project Proponent (with or without contractor)
Who Prepares EIA Detail: Proponent shall file IEE or EIA. EIA Regulations secs. 3, 4.
Who Pays for EIA: Project Proponents
EIA Contractor Qualifications: N/A
EIA Contractor Qualifications Detail: Use of contractors is not mentioned in the EIA law or regulations.
Conflict of Interest: No
Terms of Reference: No
Days for Decision Maker Review: 90 - 120
Automatic Approval: Yes
Written Decision: Yes
Written Decision Detail: The decision shall be communicated to the Proponent in the form prescribed in Schedule VI. EIA Regulation, sec. 12.
Authority to Impose Conditions: Yes
Authority to Impose Conditions Detail: The Federal Agency may accord its approval subject to such conditions as it may deem fit to impose. EP Act sec. 12(b)(2); EIA Regulations sec. 13.
Expiry of Decision: 3 years
Expiry of Decision Detail: EIA Regulations sec. 17
Financial Assurances or Bond: Yes
Financial Assurances or Bond Detail: Where the Federal Agency accords its approval subject to certain conditions, the proponent shall, before commencing construction, acknowledge acceptance of the stipulated conditions by executing an undertaking. EIA Regulations sec. 13(2)(a).
EIA Content
Interdisciplinary Team: No
Range of Alternatives: Yes
Range of Alternatives Detail: The definition of Environmental Impact Assessment includes "comparison of alternatives." EP Act sec. 2(xi).
No Action Alternative: No
No Action Alternative Detail: No action alternative is not mentioned in the Act or Regulations.
Type(s) of Impact Analysis: Direct environmental impacts, Cumulative environmental impacts
Mitigation: Yes
Mitigation Detail: See sectoral guidelines for preparing environmental impact assessments.
Monitoring Plans: Yes
Monitoring Plans Detail: An Environmental Management Plan shall include monitoring, reporting and auditing. EIA Regulations 14(1).
Access to Information
Public Notice of Draft EIA: No
Draft EIA Available: No
Draft EIA Locations: Other
Public Notice of Final EIA: Yes
Public Notice of Final EIA Detail: The Federal Agency shall publish in English or Urdu national and local newspapers a public notice mentioning the places where the EIA can be accessed. EIA Regulations sec. 10(1).
Final EIA Available: No
Final EIA Available Detail: The EIA Law and Regulations do not specify where the EIA is to be made available to members of the public.
Final EIA Locations: Agency or ministry office
Fee to View EIA Documents: N/A
Availability of Reference Studies: No
Availability of Reference Studies Detail: The EIA Law and Regulations do not require reference studies to be made available to the public.
Public Notice of Final Decision: Yes
Public Notice of Final Decision Detail: Yes
Public Participation
Public Scopingtigation: No
Public Review of TOR: Yes
Public Participation Opportunities: Public Meetings and/or public hearings, Review of final EIA
Public Meetings: Yes
Public Meetings Detail: Notice of availability of EIA for public inspection shall fix a date, time and place for public hearing. EIA Regulations sec. 10(2).
Public Input at Meeting: Yes
Criteria to Hold Public Meeting: Public meeting and/or hearing is automatically required
Days for Public to Review Final EIA: 0
Public Comments on Draft EIA: No
Public Comments on Draft EIA Detail: There is no opportunity for members of the public to comment on a draft EIA
Public Comments on Final EIA: 30
Public Comments on Final EIA Detail: EIA Regulations sec. 10(2).
Response to Public Comments: Yes
Response to Public Comments Detail: The Federal Agency shall collate, tabulate and duly consider all comments before decision. EIA Regulations sec. 10(5). There is no requirement for the Federal Agency to provide a response to public comments.
Facilitation of Public Participation: Yes
Facilitation of Public Participation Detail: The Federal Agency shall notice in any English or Urdu newspaper in the area affected by the project. EIA Regulations sec. 10(1).
Judicial Review/Enforcement
Citizen Administrative Review: No
Citizen Judicial Review: Yes
Citizen Judicial Review Detail: Any person aggrieved by any order or direction of the Federal Agency or any Provincial Agency under any provision of this Act, and rules or regulations may prefer an appeal with the Environmental Tribuna l within thirty days of the date of communication of the impugned order or direction to such person. EP Act sec. 22
Project Monitoring: Yes
Project Monitoring Detail: Authorized staff of the Federal Agency shall be entitled to enter and inspect the project site. EIA Regulations sec. 18. The proponent shall submit an annual report summarizing operational performance with reference to conditions of approval and mitigatory measures. EIA Regulations sec. 18
Enforceability of EIA: No
Enforceability of Permit: No