Killer air

Pakistan's air has turned into a slow, invisible killer. The latest report by IQAir ranks Pakistan as the world's most smog-affected country in 2025, with PM2.5 levels soaring up to thirteen times beyond the limits set by WHO. These fine particles enter the lungs and bloodstream, quietly driving up cases of respiratory illness and heart diseases.

This crisis has been building for years as cities expanded without planning or environmental compliance. Environmental laws exist, but enforcement has remained sporadic at best, allowing pollution to accumulate until it reached today's dangerous levels. Urban centres are bearing the brunt. Karachi has begun to record air quality levels that are unsafe for sensitive groups, while Lahore and Hyderabad continue to face persistently hazardous conditions.

What was once a seasonal concern has now become a year-round threat, exposing millions to health risks simply by stepping outdoors. Globally, only a small share of cities meets safe air standards, yet some countries have managed to bring pollution down through consistent policy action. Pakistan's approach, in contrast, has largely remained reactive, with temporary measures that fade once smog season passes. The result is a cycle that repeats itself with increasing severity.

What is required now is not another round of short-term firefighting but a sustained national response that treats air pollution as the public health emergency it has become. This means moving beyond rhetoric and enforcing emissions standards across industries without exception, even when it is politically inconvenient. A unified clean air framework, backed by measurable targets and transparent reporting, is essential if any real progress is to be made. Schools cannot be shut every winter as a substitute for policy, nor can citizens be expected to adapt indefinitely. Clean air is necessary right and must be treated as such.