Government has taken little notice of air pollution defiling our cities, and the harm that it is causing
KARACHI: The most common source of air pollution in Pakistan is toxic fumes from vehicles. Unlike in developed countries where there are efficient vehicles that trigger relatively less pollution, the situation in Pakistan is quite the opposite. Most people in our country often don’t have the resources to ensure regular repairs and maintenance of their vehicles that could prevent them from polluting the air through faulty exhaust pipes. Car manufacturers in Pakistan don’t pay as much heed as they should towards building cars to be environmentally-friendly and people are simply forced to purchase these cars.
In addition, fuel is often consumed unnecessarily during a given drive since most roads in Pakistan are broken and in poor condition, causing the traffic to come to a standstill, increasing journey time. Many industries in big cities such as Karachi and Lahore emit harmful pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. These hazardous gases can lead to respiratory diseases. With its beautiful landscape, Islamabad is, arguably, the cleanest city in Pakistan. Surprisingly, even here I can see thick smog over the city from the Margalla Hills. One also sees exhaust fumes being emitted from vehicles while travelling to Murree. The government has taken little notice of the air pollution defiling our cities and the harm that it is causing, which is unfortunate.
Bushra Mangi
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2015.
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