LAHORE: Punjab has witnessed a significant improvement in air quality, with 2025 emerging as a turning-point year, according to claims made by Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab.

For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, Lahore recorded its lowest average Air Quality Index (AQI) levels, showing the effectiveness of interventions by the government, it claimed in a statement on Thursday.

Pakistan’s average PM2.5 levels declined to 67.3 µg/m³ in 2025, marking an 8.7pc reduction compared to 2024 against a four-year upward trend in pollution which led to 2025 as the cleanest year for air quality in the post-pandemic period, said the statement.

Punjab emerged as the top-performing province, achieving a remarkable 33.2 per cent reduction in PM2.5 levels — from 116.6 µg/m³ in 2024 to 77.9 µg/m³ in 2025.

The EPA said that from March to December 2024, its teams carried out over 62,000 visits, which increased to more than 81,000 in 2025. Inspections surged from nearly 76,000 in 2024 to over 113,000 in 2025, while notices issued jumped from under 1,000 to more than 7,900 during the same period. Thousands of industrial units were sealed, over 2,300 FIRs registered in 2025 , and environmental fines rose sharply to Rs192m.

Parallel sectoral enforcement also intensified, with over 419,000kg of hazardous materials confiscated in 2025 and thousands of additional inspections conducted at brick kilns, industrial units, construction sites and service stations. Over 2,200 water recyclers, alongside hundreds of mist sprinklers at construction sites, significantly reduced fugitive dust emissions.

The EPA claimed that Lahore, long considered the epicentre of South Asia’s smog crisis, recorded a 13 per cent reduction in PM2.5 levels, falling from 102 µg/m³ in 2024 to around 89 µg/m³ in 2025. Experts describe this shift as a decisive policy-driven turnaround rather than a temporary environmental relief.

Lahore had the large-scale deployment of anti-smog guns which suppressed particulate matter during peak smog months.

Another major breakthrough came in tackling crop residue burning, historically a key contributor to seasonal smog. The EPA introduced Quick Response Water Bowser units to control stubble burning incidents. A total of 67 such units were deployed across major rice cultivation belts, successfully extinguishing fires and preventing their spread.

According to the EPA, across Punjab, multiple cities reported substantial improvements in air quality, reflecting a broad-based environmental recovery. Urban centres such as Mandi Bahauddin, Lodhran and Bahawalpur recorded dramatic reductions in pollution levels, while Rawalpindi emerged as one of the cleanest major cities by bringing PM2.5 levels below 50 µg/m³. Multan continued a strong downward trend.

Officials attribute this success to the comprehensive implementation of the Punjab Smog Mitigation Plan, which combined strict enforcement with technological innovation, including Zig-Zag kiln conversion, industrial emission controls, vehicular testing, dust management and digital monitoring systems.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2026