The Institute of Agro-Industry and Environment (IAE) at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur organized an awareness walk and seminar on smog on Friday. The walk was held at the Abbasia Campus and was attended by Dr. Ehtisham Anwar, Commissioner Bahawalpur Division; Prof. Dr. Naveed Akhtar, Vice Chancellor; Prof. Dr. Moazzam Jamil, Registrar; Prof. Dr. Tanveer Hussain Turabi, Dean Faculty of Agriculture and Environment; Dr. Ghulam Hasan Abbasi, Director IAE; and a large number of faculty members and students.
A poster and model-making competition on the topic of smog and air pollution was also held during the event. Students from the IAE participated enthusiastically, creating posters and models to raise awareness of the issue in the community. Dr. Anwar appreciated the efforts of the students and awarded cash prizes to the best three models.
Later, a National Seminar on Environmental Crisis (Smog) was organized by the IAE in collaboration with Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), a non-governmental organization working with underprivileged communities in Pakistan.
Prof. Dr. Abbasi, Director of IAE, delivered the welcome address and made a presentation on understanding smog, its causes, effects, and mitigation efforts. He highlighted the significant impact of smog pollution on crops, animals, and humans.
He also emphasized the need for green and renewable technologies, urban forests, and reduced local emissions to reduce smog in urban areas.
He also shared the institute’s research on smog and air pollution monitoring, including a comprehensive survey of the Air Quality Index of Bahawalpur. He said the institute is working to identify the chemical composition of smog and its causes to develop effective mitigation strategies. Muhammad Jodat Kamran, Regional Manager of HHRD South Punjab, and Saad Saeed, District Coordinator Bahawalpur, introduced the organization and its ongoing humanitarian projects. Prof. Dr. Turabi, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, proposed the provision of various tree seedlings for the development of urban forests in the air pollution-affected areas of Bahawalpur.
