Amnesty International raises concern about air quality exceeding 'hazardous' levels in Punjab

Published October 30, 2019
In this file photo taken on January 24, a Pakistani barber shaves a customer alongside a road amid heavy fog and smog conditions in Lahore.— AFP/File
In this file photo taken on January 24, a Pakistani barber shaves a customer alongside a road amid heavy fog and smog conditions in Lahore.— AFP/File

Human rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday said that the government's "failure to protect people from exposure to hazardous air in Punjab risks violating their human rights to life and health".

In a statement, Amnesty International said that the Air Quality Index in Lahore had reached 484 at 10am today, adding that the threshold for "hazardous" levels of air quality was 300, where people are advised to “avoid all physical activity outdoors”.

"During the 'smog season' – from October to January – air quality reaches 'hazardous' levels, as recorded by multiple, independent sources including the air quality monitors installed by the United States Consulate in Lahore and the crowdsourced data collated by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative," the rights group added.

In March, Faisalabad and Lahore were ranked in the top 10 on a list of the world's most polluted cities in 2018. The list was dominated by Indian cities, which took 22 of the top 30 spots, according to a Greenpeace report.

Read: Smog turns ‘garden city’ into a polluted hub

The South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International, Rimmel Mohydin, said: "The high level of smog is neither a new problem, nor one that came without warning. The government of Pakistan needs to do much more to adequately address such a severe public health crisis — one that endangers people’s health and even their lives."

Mohydin said that air pollution and the climate change crisis are "intricately linked".

"It exacerbates existing inequalities and paves the way for human rights violations. If authorities continue to stall making concerted efforts to address the smog crisis, it will continue to devastate human life.

"There is something very wrong when the air becomes so toxic that you cannot breathe without hurting yourself. The government can no longer afford to waste time while people are choking to death," she added.

Opinion

Editorial

Race against time
Updated 09 Feb, 2025

Race against time

While some bright spots emerged at Breathe Pakistan moot, we must streamline our climate governance.
Open door
09 Feb, 2025

Open door

THE door is still open for talks, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has reminded the PTI. What matters, however,...
Football suspension
09 Feb, 2025

Football suspension

ONCE again, Pakistan has been ousted from the global football family. FIFA recently suspended the Pakistan Football...
A year later
Updated 08 Feb, 2025

A year later

A war of egos has been fought between a handful of individuals at the cost of the well-being of millions of ordinary Pakistanis.
Wheat decision
08 Feb, 2025

Wheat decision

THE federal decision to stop setting the minimum support price for wheat and cease the staple’s procurement...
Dhanmondi attack
08 Feb, 2025

Dhanmondi attack

HISTORY has shown that unless states deliver development and equal rights to all, disenfranchised people can target...