SMOG is no longer merely an environmental problem; it is a serious public-health and economic challenge for Pakistan. Smoke, industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust and other pollutants create hazardous air, particularly during winter.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) indicates health risks from air pollution. On commonly used scales, 0–50 is good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151–200 unhealthy, 201–300 very unhealthy and above 300 hazardous. Air quality monitoring measures particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. The 2025 World Air Quality Report recorded Pakistan’s annual average PM2.5 concentration at approximately 67.3 µg/m³, compared with the World Health Organization’s annual guideline of 5 µg/m³. Rawalpindi’s reported annual average was approximately 65.8 µg/m³. Annual averages differ from daily AQI readings and peak smog episodes.
What causes smog? Major contributors include poorly maintained vehicles, traffic congestion and low-quality fuel; factories and brick kilns without effective emission controls; open burning of waste, plastics and agricultural residues; construction and road dust; diesel generators; fossil-fuel power generation; and household solid-fuel burning. Commercial kitchens without suitable exhaust systems can also worsen local pollution. Winter inversions, weak winds and low mixing heights trap pollutants near the ground, while regional pollution can intensify local emissions. Greenhouse gases drive climate change but are not identical to the pollutants directly responsible for smog. Health risks and protection: Smog can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, wheezing, breathlessness and reduced lung function. Fine particles can aggravate asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and respiratory infections, while increasing the risks of heart attacks, strokes and premature death.
Children, older adults, pregnant women, outdoor workers and people with heart or lung conditions need extra protection. Monitor AQI forecasts, reduce outdoor exercise during unhealthy conditions and use a well-fitted N95/KN95 respirator when exposure cannot be avoided. During severe pollution, keep windows closed where practical, use recirculated air where appropriate and consider a correctly sized HEPA air purifier. Keep prescribed medicines available and follow medical advice.
Who is responsible? The federal Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination and Pak-EPA support national policy, coordination and federal regulation. Provincial environment departments and EPAs oversee monitoring, inspections and enforcement.
Transport authorities and traffic police address vehicle emissions, while agriculture departments can support alternatives to crop-residue burning. Local governments and waste-management agencies must improve waste collection, prevent open burning and control road and construction dust.
A collective action plan: At Union Council level, Clean Air and Healthy Community Committees could bring together local officials, schools, health professionals, traders, transport operators and residents. Priorities include public air-quality dashboards, reporting smoke-emitting vehicles and illegal burning, waste segregation and composting, suitable native tree planting, construction-dust controls & cleaner commercial kitchens.
Government must strengthen public transport, enforce industrial emission standards, modernise brick kilns, help farmers manage crop residues and accelerate cleaner energy adoption. Trees can help, but cannot replace emission reductions. Pakistan needs a year-round clean-air strategy rather than temporary winter restrictions. Schools, hospitals, factories, markets and Union Councils should adopt practical plans, monitor progress and protect vulnerable people.
Clean air is a public-health necessity and a shared responsibility. Suggested references: IQAir, World Air Quality Report 2025; WHO, Global Air Quality Guidelines 2021; relevant federal & provincial environmental agencies.
—The writer is PhD Scholar, Public Health Specialist/Gold Medal Innovation Lecturer/Community Medicine Department, Rawalpindi.
