A NEW study by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, an independent research and advocacy group, suggests that the transport sector and industry are the biggest sources of air pollution in the country. The state would do well to study the findings of the report, and act on them, as Pakistan cannot afford to ignore these stark warnings. The choking smog in Punjab, and bad air in the rest of the country, are clear signs that if we fail to act, this environmental disaster will only get worse. Already Lahore and Karachi top global lists of cities with the worst air. If left unaddressed, the time may not be far off when citizens literally struggle to breathe. As per PAQI’s findings, transport and heavy industry are Lahore’s top two sources of air pollution, while Karachi’s air is affected primarily by maritime and industrial activities. Transport is also the biggest source of emissions in Islamabad-Rawalpindi. However, the Punjab government has issues with the study’s findings. An official spokesman said that “80pc of industry” in Lahore had installed equipment to control emissions, while blaming India for pollution in the Punjab capital.

There is no need for officialdom to take umbrage at critical findings. If anything, the state needs to work with independent experts to identify the gaps and plug them. Regarding the claim about our eastern neighbour, several studies, including one conducted by the World Bank, do not support it. While transboundary pollution certainly contributes to toxic air, the primary sources are domestic. As the PAQI study suggests, there is a need to target ‘super-emitters’. This means electrifying 30m or so motorbikes and rickshaws, and instituting mandatory controls on industry to check pollution. The Punjab government has taken such steps, while the centre has encouraged the transition to electric vehicles. Countrywide, environmental standards must be applied to industries across the board, while Pakistan’s woeful urban transport sector needs to be brought into the 21st century, particularly in Karachi. If modern bus and urban train networks, run on electricity and renewables, were available, this could significantly reduce congestion on the roads, and vehicular emissions. Of course, billions need to be pumped in to modernise the public transport sector. But the choice is to make the investment, or choke in toxic air. As the PAQI report argues, “it is time to act”.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2025