The Pakistan Air Quality Experts (PAQx) on Monday addressed a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging his government to take immediate steps to tackle the hazardous air quality choking parts of the country such as Punjab.

The air quality was declared a “calamity” in the province last month. Schools have closed in the main cities of Punjab until November 17 in a bid to lower children’s exposure to pollution.

Separately, the public has been barred from entering public parks, zoos, playgrounds, and museums until November 17 to reduce public exposure to smog.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil on Monday called for urgent and greater efforts to reduce air pollution, as over 11 million children under five years of age were exposed to this smog in the worst affected districts of Punjab.

According to the letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, “The severe decline in air quality across Punjab and other regions of Pakistan has reached hazardous levels, posing a critical public health risk that demands immediate and strategic action.”

Acknowledging existing environmental legislation such as the National Clean Air Policy, PAQx, which describes itself as a coalition of 27 professionals in fields including environmental science, public health and law, said it believed that an approach “grounded in scientific evidence and global best practices is essential to effectively manage air pollution”.

The group recommended that the government shut down all brick kilns, calling them “one of the largest contributors to air pollution” and stating, “A shutdown would immediately reduce emissions by 15 per cent.”

PAQx also recommended curtailing the movement of heavy transport and implementing strict vehicle emission controls. It states that curtailing heavy vehicles from 10pm to 10am would “provide an immediate reduction in harmful pollutants in urban areas by a further 15pc.

Furthermore, the group recommended shutting down industrial units not complying with environmental regulations. “Industries that fail to comply with environmental standards should be shut down, significantly reducing air pollution levels in highly populated areas by 15pc,” the letter read.

The letter also suggested that the shutdown remain in place until a roadmap to control emissions is put into place.

Additionally, PAQx recommended a comprehensive 12-point approach to ensure cleaner air in the medium to long-term.

The programme includes aligning with World Health Organisation standards, establishing clean air zones in Lahore and the twin cities and a transition to clean energy.

“These recommendations reflect a collaborative, science-based approach to tackling air pollution. We believe that their implementation will help Pakistan move toward a cleaner, healthier future,” the letter reads.