As Punjab grapples with hazardous smog, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb declared on Friday that the issue had now turned into a “health crisis”.
Dense smog, caused by toxic pollutants, has engulfed several cities in Punjab over the past few weeks, with Lahore and Multan being the worst hit. The AQI reading in Multan has already crossed 2,000 twice, setting a new record for air pollution.
This rise in pollution has turned the air toxic, impacting the health of people across all age groups. In a month, Punjab has seen almost two million cases of breathing problems and other respiratory diseases, with a surge in complaints of asthma, conjunctivitis, and heart disease as well.
Yesterday, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI), Lahore ranked as the most polluted city in the world, peaking at 1,591 at 10am.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore today, Aurangzeb said: “At the moment, the smog [crisis] has turned into a health crisis.
“Smog is one aspect of climate change,” she said, highlighting that the Punjab government prepared a 10-year climate change policy for the first time, which covered various issues, such as floods, natural disasters, rehabilitation, recovery, and vulnerable areas.
Referring to the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) calls for a long-term plan to tackle the issue, the minister said: “The Punjab chief minister has made a 10-year plan for smog, together with all sectors and departments, and the sectors were given targets.”
Aurangzeb said she would like to brief the LHC herself about the policy, noting that various factors contributing to smog included “transport, agriculture, energy, our habits, our behaviour and our actions towards nature”.
The minister thanked the civil society, nongovernmental organisations and private organisations for making suggestions to combat smog.
Referring to a letter written by WWF-Pakistan to Prime Minister Shehbaz, Aurangzeb claimed: “The things they have suggested are part of this mitigation plan for the past eight months. Every single thing.”
The plan, titled ‘Roadmap for Smog Mitigation in Punjab (2024-2025)’, says it details “Smog Mitigation Actions” taken from January to October this year.
The minister invited experts and organisations to identify gaps in it, asserting that the government would fill them.
According to the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI), the pollution of PM2.5 — fine particulate matter in the air that causes the most damage to health — increased by 25 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023. The average pollution level also went up by 23pc compared to last year.
According to experts, exposure to high levels of toxic pollutants not only causes respiratory diseases but also leads to life-altering problems like depression and impacts the growth of children. It also causes oxidative stress and inflammation in human cells and may lay the foundation for other serious diseases, including cancer.
The Punjab government has taken various measures to combat smog, including shutting schools, cracking down on vehicles emitting excessive smoke, and prohibiting barbecues and visits to recreational places.
