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ISLAMABAD: Punjab&rsquo;s worsening air quality has turned into a public health emergency, with Lahore, the provincial capital, consistently ranking among the world&rsquo;s most polluted cities. But what are the main causes? Rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and unregulated transportation growth have pushed fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels to nearly 10 times Pakistan&rsquo;s legal limit, making clean air a rare commodity for its 15 million residents. PM 2.5 is particulate matter, particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or smaller in the air. These are considered the most dangerous airborne pollutants because they are small enough to penetrate the bloodstream and are linked to various diseases, including cardiovascular problems and lung cancer. While PM2.5 is the most serious air quality issue, levels of other air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, also exceed international safety guidelines. &nbsp; Satellite data from the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) show that Lahore&rsquo;s air has remained &ldquo;unhealthy&rdquo; or &ldquo;very unhealthy&rdquo; for much of the past decade, with winter smog now an annual crisis. Sources of pollutionAccording to the Urban Unit&#39;s 2023 Sectoral Emissions Inventory and the World Bank&#39;s 2025 Program Information Document (PID), urban activity is the primary cause of air pollution in Punjab, accounting for around 75% of total emissions, with natural sources accounting for the remaining 25%. The urban proportion of the population has increased from 82% to 100%, during 1998-2017 in Lahore. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/3cde0d83-3789-4d22-9bf7-29ec4b2bda48.png" style="width: 527px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Figure 1: Urban Sprawl in Lahore District ( Sectoral Emissions Inventory of Lahore) According to the data, the leading sources of PM2.5 pollution are: - The combustion of solid fuels for cooking and heating: (23% of residential emissions).- Transport (16%): car exhaust and road dust.- Industries and brick kilns (16%): especially cement, steel, and textile production.- Agriculture and livestock (13%): crop residue burning, fertiliser, and manure.- Municipal rubbish burning (7%): involves open dumping and flames. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/835d1259-93de-44e2-a5a3-d547769eab97.png" style="width: 605px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Figure 2: Visual mind map&nbsp; Residential and transport emissions in Greater Lahore have increased by 28% and 24%, respectively. Lahore&rsquo;s roads remain congested, with more than 7.4 million registered vehicles, 82% of them two-wheelers. The city operates only 27 kilometres of metro line and about 250 public buses, far short of the 4,000 required by 2026, the Punjab Mass Transit Authority reported. Does bordering with Delhi play a role?Yes, seasonally. Transboundary effects of air pollution are significant. According to the World Bank, 53% of PM2.5 in Punjab comes from within the province, 9% from adjacent provinces, and 13% from across the border. Satellite data from CAMS and Reuters reporting suggest that stubble burning in northwestern India and northern Pakistan produces smoke plumes that worsen winter smog. However, inventories reveal that although cross-border smoke contributes only occasionally, local transportation, industrial, and residential emissions contribute to poor air quality year-round.&nbsp; Regulations, law &amp; enforcementThe Punjab government has implemented many policies, including the 2017 Smog Control Policy, the 2023 Clean Air Policy, and the 2024 Smog Mitigation Action Plan. These address emissions from transportation, agriculture, and industry while encouraging behavioural change and citizen engagement. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/048a1983-c034-4873-a8e4-5fadd3e04446.jpg" style="width: 577px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">&nbsp;Source: Punjab Clean Air Program (PCAP) According to the Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD), the province is expanding its air quality monitoring network by installing reference stations and low-cost sensors to ensure real-time transparency. Hundreds of brick kilns have been sealed for noncompliance, and enterprises must install emission-control equipment. At the federal level, the Ministry of Climate Change and the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency are implementing Euro fuel requirements, periodic vehicle inspections, and scrappage programs for old diesel fleets. Agricultural burning prohibitions are supported by subsidies for equipment such as the &quot;Happy Seeder,&quot; which allows farmers to avoid stubble burning. On transport, the Punjab government has set up 27 e-buses in Lahore, with 500 more planned for the FY25 Annual Development Plan. The World Bank believes that e-buses might reduce PM2.5 emissions by up to 88% compared to diesel cars. These new measures are a major institutional step forward, indicating a more effective, coordinated strategy for monitoring air quality across the province. According to the World Bank&#39;s 2025 Program Information Document, Punjab has long suffered from &quot;the absence of systematic air quality management capacity,&quot; which these reforms now aim to address. Awareness and social responsibilityTo involve citizens directly in the fight against smog, the EPD developed the Green Punjab App, which allows users to report unlawful burning and file environmental complaints directly with the authorities, while the EcoBot platform provides real-time air quality data and health alerts.&nbsp; The Punjab Disaster Management Authority and EPD have also launched public awareness programs encouraging locals to decrease their usage of solid fuels, report infractions, and promote public transport. The United Nations Development Programme defines empowerment as enabling people to make informed choices that shape their own communities. In Punjab&rsquo;s case, this means equipping citizens with reliable data, accountability mechanisms, and access to clean alternatives. Pakistan&#39;s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned that this year&rsquo;s smog should be treated as a &ldquo;public health threat,&rdquo; urging households to adopt indoor air-filtration measures as part of a layered protection strategy. The National Institute of Health has cautioned that hazardous smog spells will continue across eastern Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan. In its 2025 advisory, the NDMA recommended using air purifiers in frequently occupied rooms, sealing windows, avoiding non-essential travel, and wearing N95 or KN95 masks outdoors. The NDMA also suggested a low-cost alternative: natural air-purifying indoor plants, such as snake plants or spider plants, to improve indoor air quality. While not a replacement for HEPA filtration, they provide additional relief for families unable to afford high-end purifiers. The worsening smog has increased public attention on indoor air quality, particularly among parents and individuals with chronic respiratory illnesses. Government advisories continue to emphasize precautionary measures indoors and outdoors while broader, long-term efforts focus on emissions regulation, improved monitoring and seasonal preparedness. Ultimately, the province&#39;s efforts serve as a starting point rather than a solution, highlighting the need for continuous enforcement and regional collaboration to achieve lasting improvements in air quality.

Health

Climate & Environment

Punjab’s smog crisis stems from rapid urbanization, vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and stubble burning. Efforts to improve air quality and public health include clean air policies, citizen reporting apps, and electric transport initiatives.

What’s polluting Punjab’s air?

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;High pollution levels and smog in Pakistan&rsquo;s Punjab province during the winter months have become a continuing challenge for the administration in the last decade. Over the years, Punjab has implemented a comprehensive provincial framework, including specialized agencies and programs such as the Punjab Clean Air Program, to combat smog and improve air quality. There are several organizations under the Punjab government responsible for ensuring the environment remains clean.&nbsp;These include the following: Environment Protection &amp; Climate Change Department, Government of Punjab (EP&amp;CCD Punjab)According to the provincial department&rsquo;s website, the &ldquo;Environment Protection Department, Punjab created Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which is responsible for the protection, conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of the environment; the prevention and control of pollution and promotion of sustainable development in the province.&rdquo;<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/0ef7d3c2-3452-4209-a33e-922daf0a9a1d-Lahore 1.jpg" alt="Lahore 1.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">LAHORE: People visit a park amid dense smog in Lahore on October 28, 2025. -- Photo by AFP</figcaption></figure> &ldquo;EPA sustains qualitative and quantitative standards for the discharge of effluents, wastes, air emissions or noise either for general applicability or for a particular area or from a particular source in the form of Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS) and other standards established under the laws, rules and regulations,&rdquo; according to its website. The sections working under the department include: a complaint cell, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), environmental laboratories, and a Directorate of Environmental Health, Dengue Control, and Hazardous Waste. Other separate sections within the department include implementation, legal aspects, research and investigation, and technology transfer. Punjab Clean Air Program (PCAP)The Punjab Clean Air Program (PCAP) is a flagship initiative by the Government of Punjab, supported by the World Bank.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/affb0a35-c344-47c8-ad4e-14b5c8067326-Lahore 2.jpg" alt="Lahore 2.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">LAHORE: A man exercises in a park amid dense smog in Lahore on October 29, 2025. -- Photo by AFP</figcaption></figure> According to the program&#39;s website, &quot;It aims to reduce ambient air pollution &mdash; especially PM2.5 &mdash; by addressing emission sources in the transport, agriculture, and industrial sectors. PCAP also includes behavioral change programs, capacity building, and regulatory reforms aligned with national climate and environmental strategies.&quot; The objectives of the program, which runs from April 2025 to June 2030, include: strengthening air quality management (AQM), reducing PM2.5 exposure in Lahore Division, implementing sustainable transport and agricultural practices, and empowering citizens through awareness and behavior change. The executing agencies of the program are the Planning and Development Board, Punjab, and the Transport and Mass Transit Department. Transport and Mass Transit Department&nbsp;According to its website, the department&#39;s mission is to ensure &ldquo;safe, affordable, and environment-friendly transport for the people of Punjab.&rdquo; Some of the initiatives of the department that are in progress include: Punjab Green Development Program (PGDP), Chief Minister&rsquo;s Interest Free Electric-Taxi scheme, Air Punjab, Induction of Eco-Friendly Buses in Cities of Punjab (DLI-6 PGDP), Third Party Monitoring of Vehicle Inspection and Certification System, and Procurement of Portable Automobile Emission Analyzer Devices for On-field Checking of Smoke Emitting Vehicles in Punjab.&nbsp; Establishment of Vehicles Testing Lab (PRSA), Development of Urban Bus Depot and Allied Infrastructure for Electric Buses in Lahore under the Punjab Clean Air Program (P-CAP) by the World Bank, and Feasibility and Seed Money for the Establishment of Air Punjab are also in progress. Other initiatives of the department focus on reducing pollution levels, including the Induction of eco-friendly buses in Rajanpur, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Bahawalpur divisions.&nbsp;

Over the years, Punjab has implemented a comprehensive provincial framework, including specialized agencies and programs such as the Punjab Clean Air Program, to combat smog and improve air quality.

Pakistan's Punjab strengthens multi-tier framework to curb smog and pollution

ISLAMABAD: In India&rsquo;s capital region, including Delhi, the air quality has taken a serious hit post-Diwali and with the onset of winter.&nbsp; An Indian media outlet, while quoting an online survey by citizen engagement platform LocalCircles, reported Saturday that three out of four households in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) are &ldquo;already experiencing the ill-effects of toxic air, with common complaints ranging from sore throat and cough to burning eyes, headaches, and disturbed sleep.&rdquo;&nbsp; On Oct. 7, air quality in Delhi reached &ldquo;hazardous&rdquo; levels, according to the Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.&nbsp; <figure id="isPasted"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/e3ef0795-4d2e-4730-ad00-69d4e82b7f69-Delhi air quality.jpg" alt="Delhi air quality.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii" style="width: 1000px; height: 563px;"><figcaption>Screengrab: IQAir.com</figcaption></figure> &lsquo;Sore throat and burning eyes&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;The survey, based on over 44,000 responses from residents across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad, found that 42 per cent of the households reported that one or more members were suffering from sore throat or cough, while 25 per cent said family members had burning eyes, headaches, or difficulty sleeping,&quot; according to the media report. Sachin Taparia, founder of LocalCircles, in a post on X on Monday, while highlighting the poor air quality level in the Indian capital, stated: &ldquo;This is why 3 in 4 Delhi-NCR households have someone having sore throat, cough, headache, burning eyes.&rdquo;&nbsp; &lsquo;Gimmicks won&rsquo;t change reality&rsquo;&nbsp;Taparia categorically added: &ldquo;Politicians can do whatever gimmicks they like, but the reality won&rsquo;t change, until it actually changes.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1251px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1982634396227453333&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4c2aa17d320639d2f03ee159a36a7a7bf32d601f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1982634396227453333"></iframe></div></div>Pollution post Diwali&nbsp;According to the Central Pollution Control Board of India, before Diwali on Oct. 17, there was just one city in the &ldquo;very poor&rdquo; air quality category and 25 cities in the &ldquo;poor&rdquo; air quality category.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 921px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1979143439456313355&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4c2aa17d320639d2f03ee159a36a7a7bf32d601f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1979143439456313355"></iframe></div></div>But this changed with Diwali. According to statistics shared by the board on the social media platform X, the number of cities in the &ldquo;very poor&rdquo; air quality category shot to 14 on Oct. 21, and the number in the &ldquo;poor&rdquo; category increased to 79.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 921px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1980612325729267765&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4c2aa17d320639d2f03ee159a36a7a7bf32d601f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1980612325729267765"></iframe></div></div>

India

The households are ‘already experiencing the ill-effects of toxic air, with common complaints ranging from sore throat and cough to burning eyes, headaches and disturbed sleep.’ 

Articles tagged with "Smog"

What’s polluting Punjab’s air?

Pakistan's Punjab strengthens multi-tier framework to curb smog and pollution

Survey finds 3 in 4 Delhi households feeling toxic air impact