Air Quality Under Siege: Smog, Climate Change, and Public Health Challenges in Pakistan

Abstract

Air pollution is one of the most serious challenges facing Pakistan, which has some of the most polluted urban areas in the world. This issue has received more recent scrutiny due to smog—often in combination with socioeconomic, public health, and environmental crises— most notably in winter months. According to recent estimates, over 40% of the metropolitan population of Pakistan is directly affected by smog, with Lahore hitting risk-branded air quality indices during peak season. This essay examines some components of Pakistan’s air quality crisis, traced back to colonial-era transportation infrastructure, rapid urbanization, and a lack of environmental governance. Making the situation worse is the connection between pollution and climate change, which makes the pollutants more concentrated as temperatures rise. The public health impacts are severe, resulting in long-term consequences for mental health, and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly and children. The burden of medical care and lost output highlights how far afield the impact of untrammeled pollution extends.