Smog warning

A spell of rain may temporarily clear Lahore's skies, but it cannot wash away the fact that smog has become an annual public health crisis. Within days of last week's brief respite, air quality deteriorated once again, with official readings reaching highly unhealthy levels this past Wednesday. As winter approaches, the city faces the prospect of another punishing smog season, raising serious questions about whether the authorities are sufficiently prepared to protect millions of residents.

Years of exposure to hazardous air should have made prevention a permanent government priority rather than an emergency exercise undertaken when pollution reaches intolerable levels. Punjab has announced a series of preventive measures, including inspections of smoke-emitting vehicles. These initiatives are necessary, but their effectiveness must be judged by improvements in air quality. Seasonal crackdowns have repeatedly failed to produce lasting relief because the underlying sources of pollution remain largely unchecked. Of particular concern is the danger to children. Unicef has warned that polluted environments increase children's susceptibility to acute respiratory infections and can impair lung development. In November 2024, the agency estimated that more than 11 million children under five were exposed to severe smog across Punjab's worst-affected districts. Such warnings demand preparations that extend beyond advising families to remain indoors.

Much also depends on the government's ability to anticipate dangerous pollution episodes. At the same time, authorities must ensure strict compliance with industrial emission standards and improve public transport and provide farmers with practical alternatives to crop burning. Lahore cannot continue surrendering several months of every year to poisonous air. Clean air is not a seasonal privilege to be restored by favourable weather. It is a basic public health necessity.