Recent reports show that around 70% of Pakistan’s population is facing health problems due to smog. Common symptoms include cough, flu, and difficulty breathing.
The situation in Punjab was so severe last month that it was declared a “calamity.” The region’s air quality often exceeds dangerous levels, regularly surpassing an Air Quality Index of 1,000, which is far higher than the hazardous threshold of 300.
The heavy smog has resulted in a significant number of health-related issues. In just one month, nearly two million people in Punjab visited medical facilities with breathing problems and other respiratory diseases. The thick smog continues to affect many areas, with Lahore and Rawalpindi being the hardest hit.
According to a recent Ipsos survey conducted from November 18-22, 79% of people across Pakistan had experienced smog in the past month.
In Lahore, this number was 100%. The survey also found that 68% of people reported health issues related to smog, with urban areas being more affected than rural areas. Over a third of respondents said their daily activities—like household chores, work, and social events—were disrupted by the smog.
The survey revealed that most people believe vehicular emissions (70%) are the main cause of smog, followed by industrial smoke (63%) and waste burning (37%). Other factors such as brick kilns and crop burning were also mentioned, though to a lesser extent. Interestingly, about 20% of people attributed the smog to the “wrath of God.”
When asked about barriers to tackling smog, 44% of respondents pointed to the lack of public cooperation, while 37% said the enforcement of laws was insufficient. Despite these challenges, most Pakistanis recognize the need to act. Around 80% agreed that they should play a role in reducing smog. Many people said they were willing to switch to walking, use public transport, or ride bicycles. A small percentage, 10%, were open to using new or hybrid electric vehicles.
Among vehicle owners, 90% said they would be willing to repair their vehicles and get government certification to help reduce pollution. However, while some people expressed satisfaction with their provincial government’s efforts to combat smog, the level of satisfaction was lower among more educated individuals, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the government’s strategies.
