LAHORE: Air pollution reduces life expectancy in Pakistan by an estimated 3.9 years and contributes to around 128,000 premature deaths annually, according to a report by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI), which warns of severe health and economic consequences from deteriorating air quality.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The report estimates that air pollution imposes an economic burden equivalent to 6.5 per cent of Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP), while prolonged exposure to polluted air could reduce life expectancy in Lahore by up to seven years.
Titled Unveiling Pakistan’s Air Pollution: A National Landscape Report on Health Risks, Sources, and Solutions, the assessment presents what PAQI describes as Pakistan’s first harmonised, multi-sector emissions inventory, alongside a multi-city analysis of air quality.
The report examines pollution across the major urban airsheds of Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad-Rawalpindi and Peshawar, identifying key emission sources and outlining measures that could reduce emissions by up to 50 per cent.
According to the assessment, the analysis draws on ground-based air quality measurements, satellite data and local activity records, including fuel consumption, vehicle fleet composition, industrial data and sector-wise estimates of pollutant emissions.
It covers fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), providing a detailed breakdown of emissions across the four urban airsheds.
Lahore faces severe pollution levels
The report estimates that Lahore’s annual average PM2.5 concentration exceeds 110 micrograms per cubic metre, more than 22 times the World Health Organisation’s annual guideline of five micrograms per cubic metre.
Prolonged exposure to such pollution levels could reduce life expectancy in the city by up to seven years, it warns.
Winter temperature inversions further worsen air quality by restricting the vertical dispersion of pollutants and trapping polluted air close to the ground.
Transport is identified as Lahore’s largest source of primary PM2.5 emissions, accounting for 35 per cent, followed by industry at 28 per cent and brick kilns at 17 per cent. The report notes that winter weather conditions intensify the impact of these emission sources.
Industry dominates Karachi emissions
Karachi has a different emissions profile, with industrial activity accounting for 49 per cent of emissions, according to the report.
The findings underscore the need for city-specific pollution control strategies, including measures targeting industrial emissions, transport and other major sources, to improve air quality and reduce the associated health and economic burden.
Story by Asif Mehmood
