Punjab, especially its provincial capital Lahore, is gasping under the grip of severe smog. Over the past two weeks, a thick blanket of haze has descended upon the city, turning it into one of the most polluted urban centres in the world.
According to monitoring data, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has consistently remained above 400 in recent days — a level deemed hazardous for human health. As per IQAir data, the Gulberg-III monitoring station last week recorded a staggering AQI of 613 between 7am and 8am, while other stations across the city reported readings of 515 and 465. Other cities in Punjab are also battling dangerously high pollution levels. Gujranwala recorded an AQI of 431, while Faisalabad reached 337 — both dozens of times higher than the safe limit.
Experts identify PM2.5 — microscopic particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream — as the main pollutant. In Lahore, PM2.5 concentrations reached 241 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly 48 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s prescribed limit. Public health specialists warn of the long-term impact of such exposure. According to WHO, prolonged inhalation of polluted air can heighten the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, asthma, and stroke. Children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable.
To mitigate the crisis, the Lahore Waste Management Company has launched an anti-smog operation, deploying 16 mechanical washers, 50 regular washers, and 400 workers for road cleaning and water sprinkling. Lahore police have also intensified their crackdown on individuals and entities contributing to environmental pollution. So far this year, 197 FIRs have been registered and 203 suspects arrested by various police stations across the city. Meanwhile, the Ravi Urban Development Authority has reportedly stepped up operations within its jurisdiction, banning the burning of crop residue and all types of solid waste.
For several consecutive winters, Pakistan has ranked as the third most polluted country in the world. Industrial emissions, vehicular smoke, and crop residue burning are the main culprits behind the worsening smog. Winds carrying pollutants from across the Indian border further aggravate the situation. Transportation remains a major contributor to air pollution, with more than 4.2 million motorcycles traversing Lahore’s congested streets daily. Pakistan’s continued reliance on outdated Euro-II diesel fuel has further deteriorated air quality. The country’s freight and passenger fleets are still dominated by pre-Euro and Euro-II trucks and buses, many of which emit dangerously high levels of pollutants. Weak regulatory enforcement and ineffective vehicle inspection systems allow these aging, smoke-belching vehicles to remain operational, making Pakistan’s transport sector one of its most damaging pollution sources.
The World Bank estimates that outdoor air pollution in Pakistan causes 22,000 premature adult deaths and results in the loss of 163,432 disability-adjusted life years annually. Indoor air pollution, meanwhile, leads to 28,000 deaths each year and causes 40 million acute respiratory infections. Furthermore, the 2024 Air Quality Index report revealed that poor air quality shortens average life expectancy by 3.9 years — and by as much as seven years in heavily polluted cities such as Lahore, Peshawar, Gujranwala, and Rawalpindi.
According to the World Bank, environmental degradation costs the country nearly 7 per cent of its GDP — around Rs365 billion annually — with the greatest burden falling on the poor. Pakistan’s agriculture sector, on which 2.6 billion people depend for their livelihoods, also suffers heavily from the deteriorating environment.
Given the worsening air quality crisis that engulfs the country each year, Pakistan urgently needs to adopt a proactive approach to setting and enforcing air quality standards. Yet, no meaningful progress has been made in this regard. Last week, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Climate Change was informed that Pakistan’s vehicular emission standards remain stuck at Euro-II levels — a benchmark the rest of the world surpassed nearly two decades ago. Most developed nations now use Euro-VI or equivalent standards, introduced by the European Union in the 1990s, which set increasingly strict limits on pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons.
According to media reports, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) — responsible for formulating and enforcing the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) — is plagued by severe financial and technical constraints. The agency, which operates under the Ministry of Climate Change, must urgently update vehicular and industrial emission standards in line with global benchmarks and Pakistan’s worsening environmental realities. Equally crucial is the establishment of robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, along with clear and sustainable funding channels for environmental agencies at both the federal and provincial levels.
The legal framework to hold polluters accountable already exists, but the will and capacity to enforce it remain absent. This gap must be urgently addressed. Targeted interventions are needed to curb industrial emissions and crop burning — two of Pakistan’s most toxic pollution sources. Moreover, emerging climate challenges must now shape all levels of policymaking, from energy and agriculture to water management and urban planning. Without adopting a comprehensive and innovative strategy, Pakistan’s air quality crisis will continue to worsen, pushing the country further toward environmental and public health catastrophe.