Editorial
Amidst the prevailing internet issues across the nation, many elders may have been encouraging their offspring to step outside and breathe in some fresh air. However, in Pakistan, this advice holds potentially harmful consequences, as the air quality has reached perilous levels. The findings of the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) Annual Update for 2024 reveal that the majority of Pakistan’s population is exposed to air that falls short of national air quality standards. The prescribed standard for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is 15 micrograms per cubic meter in Pakistan, yet the actual PM2.5 concentration hovers around 40 µg/m³. Alarming statistics from the AQLI report indicate that adhering to domestic air quality standards could extend the life expectancy of Pakistanis by 2.3 years, while meeting the WHO air pollution guidelines could lead to an even more substantial increase of 3.3 years. This underscores the grim reality that air pollution is directly contributing to the premature shortening of people’s lives in Pakistan.
The severity of air pollution is most pronounced in Peshawar, the nation’s most polluted city, where potential gains in life expectancy could be as high as 5.6 years. These distressing figures position air pollution as a more significant peril to life in Pakistan than issues such as drinking, car accidents, and even diseases like HIV/AIDS.
The ramifications of air pollution are felt uniformly across all segments of society, irrespective of class or socioeconomic status. This means that even the wealthiest individuals in Pakistan are exposed to air of inferior quality compared to the least affluent in more developed countries. The issue transcends national boundaries and extends to the broader South Asian region, encompassing Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, which exhibits the most dismal air quality among all regions covered by the report between 1998 and 2022.
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The predicament of high air pollution standards becomes further complicated due to the interconnectedness of air quality issues in the entire South Asian region. Cross-border agreements and collaborative efforts are imperative to fortify air quality standards. Notably, the report emphasizes that nations such as India and Pakistan confront analogous challenges in air pollution, stemming from the utilization of substandard fuels like wood, the incineration of agricultural and other waste, and inadequate adherence to fuel standards. Addressing these concerns necessitates concerted action at the local level, coupled with an acceleration in the adoption of emissions-free renewable energy sources. Failure to take decisive steps to mitigate air pollution will exact a heavy toll on the populace of Pakistan and the wider region, robbing them of potential years of healthier and more fulfilling lives.
