FOR weeks now, a thick blanket of smog has been suffocating the people of Punjab, while smog-like conditions have also been reported in Peshawar and other parts of KP. On Friday, schools were closed in the cities of Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujranwala due to the poor air quality. Some residents have started taking measures to protect themselves, such as wearing surgical masks, but that is simply not enough to combat the severity of the threat to their health. The toxins in the air directly impact the heart, respiratory systems and life expectancy of citizens, and pose the greatest danger to the elderly, small children and expecting mothers. Meanwhile, poor visibility on the road leads to a greater number of accidents.

According to experts, the smog is created by a combination of factors, though most of the blame is often placed on farmers burning their rice stubble ahead of the harvesting seasons, both at home and across the border in India. Consequently, the twin cities of Lahore and Delhi have the worst air quality in the world during wintertime. Other major factors that contribute to poor air quality include the substandard fuel that drives the transport, manufacturing and agriculture sectors, while the hundreds of brick kiln industries that operate on outdated technology also contribute to the problem. Some days ago, Air Visual ranked Delhi as the most polluted city in the world, with an air quality index of 556, which was followed by Lahore ranked at 447. These figures are alarming; yet it is debatable whether the government is treating the public health crisis with the seriousness it deserves. It is time for the governments of Pakistan and India to put aside at least some of their differences and prioritise the safety of their citizenry. They must work jointly to come up with a solution to their shared climate crisis. Conditions may be murky, but the writing on the wall is clear.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2019