LAHORE
\nFederal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal has warned that Pakistan is facing a \u201ctoxic air crisis,\u201d calling it a \u201cbattle for survival\u201d and a \u201cnational health emergency.\u201d
\nHe urged collective national action to confront what he described as one of the gravest threats to the country\u2019s future. Addressing the \u2018Breathe Pakistan\u2019 conference here on Saturday, the minister said the deteriorating air quality was no longer an environmental issue but a direct threat to public health and economic stability.
\n\u201cThe very air we breathe has become our enemy. This is about survival, about the future of our children,\u201d he stated. He noted that Lahore\u2019s Air Quality Index (AQI) had touched 400, which he termed a \u201cred alert for the nation,\u201d while data from other major cities also showed dangerously high pollution levels throughout the year.
\nSharing his recent observation at a pollution-mapping project at ITU, Ahsan Iqbal said the findings revealed that air pollution persists even during summer months. \u201cWhat we see as smog in winter is, in fact, a year-round reality,\u201d he remarked. He added that breathing urban air in Pakistan was equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes daily, warning of a \u201csilent public health emergency\u201d as cases of respiratory diseases and premature births rise sharply. Citing the World Bank, he said over 100,000 Pakistanis die prematurely each year due to pollution.
\nThe planning minister stressed that the government alone cannot overcome this crisis. \u201cCitizens, industries, and institutions must work together to secure a clean and healthy environment,\u201d he said, emphasizing that climate change was a man-made crisis requiring shared responsibility.
\nHe called on the corporate sector to adopt green technologies and sustainable supply chains, noting that clean air was not a privilege but a fundamental right. Ahsan Iqbal criticized developed nations for failing to meet their $100 billion climate finance commitments. \u201cFor decades, they asked us to \u2018do more.\u2019 Now we ask them to \u2018do more\u2019, to deliver on their promises and ensure the transfer of clean technologies instead of lectures,\u201d he asserted. He highlighted Pakistan\u2019s ongoing green initiatives, including Uraan Pakistan, the Punjab Smog Control Strategy, and the Green Balochistan Initiative.
\nHe said 40 percent of urban transport was being converted to electric and hybrid systems to reduce emissions, while air quality monitors were being installed to track pollution levels.
\n\u201cThe clean air challenge is not limited to Lahore, it affects Karachi, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and every urban center in Pakistan,\u201d he said. \u201cWe must act decisively so that one day, our skies turn blue again.\u201d
\nHe also described the \u2018Breathe Pakistan\u2019 conference as a timely and significant step, emphasizing that the conference was not only about combating pollution but also about fostering leadership, partnership, and collaboration for a sustainable future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal has warned that Pakistan is facing a \u201ctoxic air crisis,\u201d calling it a \u201cbattle for survival\u201d and a \u201cnational health emergency.\u201d He urged collective national action to confront what he described as one of the gravest threats to the country\u2019s future. Addressing the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-508042","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n