FOG turns into smog, which is more intense and hazardous than the former. Most of the major cities of Pakistan, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Karachi, are badly affected by smog this year. It is because of the severity of smog that visibility in these areas gets reduced to as low as 10-20 feet.

Motorways are closed by the police in order to avoid road accidents. People are told to wear masks whenever they come out of their homes and offices. According to a report, if a person grows in such an environment, his/her age limit decreases by 8-10 years.

While major parts of the country are going through a tough time, the capital city of Islamabad is much better off as there is no smog worth its name. What makes things so markedly different is the level of greenery in the federal capital compared to the rest of the country.

It is a city with the Margalla Hills as well as uncountable tall trees on these hills that ensure clean air and a con- siderably less polluted environment in the city. Visibility remains good and the sun continues to have its warmth about it, keeping life normal.

It is a huge lesson for the people, in general, and for the government, in particular, that the country is in a rather desperate need for plantation cover. Plant trees and stop chopping down the ones we already have. This is the only solution to the problem of smog.

Abdul Salam
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2023