Pollution level in Pakistan:
Pakistan is the most popular country located in South Asia, along some highly prominent countries such as India, China, Afghanistan and Iran, all of them are those countries which have same pollution problems of their own. Economically China and India have many of their cities taking the top spots for some of the most polluted in the world. Pakistan is the 5th most populous country in the entire world because Pakistan has seen multiple cultures and kingdoms come and go previously on that Time it had a massive population of some 212.2 millions.
Pakistan’s pollution levels in 2019 were alarmingly high. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 140,000 people in Pakistan died from air pollution in 2019. The country’s air quality was described as “hazardous,” with Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) readings reaching up to 1900.
- Air Pollution-Related Deaths
- Over 140,000 people died from air pollution in Pakistan in 2019.
- Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) 65.8 μg/m³ over 40 times what the World Health Organization considers safe.
- Life Expectancy Impact
Air pollution reduced average life expectancy in Pakistan by 3.9 years, with Lahore being the worst affected, cutting life expectancy by seven years.
- Ranking
- Although not directly ranked in 2019 in the provided sources for being the most polluted, Lahore was noted for having extremely high levels of pollution, and Pakistan was ranked as the second-most polluted country in the world in 2023.
Main causes of Pollution in Pakistan:
There are numerous causes of pollution in major cities of Pakistan, in which some of them being constantly more of a year-round, such as pollution of vehicles and factories, stubble burning in winter months, Burning fossil fuels for transportation, heating, and electricity generation, Emissions from industries like cement, textiles, and manufacturing, Burning crops residues also adds to particle pollution, Destruction of green spaces and inadequate waste management exacerbate the issue.
Most cleanest and beautiful city Lahore, once known as the city of Garden, has been suffering terribly from pollution caused by vehicles, and in the year 2020 with the COVID-19 induced lockdowns, it became apparent how much of an effect this vehicular pollution has on the overall air quality, pollution level gradually clear, but as soon as they we’re lifted, the smog quickly spread in atmosphere and effect the citizens.
This us just an example of how badly vehicles can effect the levels of pollution, so Pakistan is badly effected by its numerous transport such as cars, motorbikes, trucks, rickshaws etc, and the pollution monsters can be seen on many roads across Pakistan. On the other side can be seen that steel mills companies and factories can be the reason of spreading large volume of pollution in the air because burning of fossil fuels such as coal to provide energy to companies and factories and this kind of energy of fossil fuels release harmful chemicals in the air, these harmful chemicals not only effects air Pollution, but also but also to the surrounding wildlife and water areas, with large amount of industrial influence damage ecosystem and kill off vast swathes of vegetation.
And lastly, the unregulated immolation of refuse in our thoroughfares introduces an insidious layer of toxic contamination. As disparate materials—from natural timbers and discarded detritus to synthetic and petrochemical fabrications like plastic—are consumed by flame, they unleash a virulent panoply of noxious vapors. Ultimately, the principal culprits, in order of their atmospheric assault, remain vehicular exhaust and industrial effluent, which are then compounded by these uncontained combustion sources. Adding to this fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) burden are miscellaneous contributors, such as neglected construction zones that inevitably release copious amounts of pulverized stone, grit, and crystalline silica.
Different types of Pollution found in air in Pakistan:
The air we breathe is often veiled in a perpetual haze, a shroud of smoke and smog woven primarily by the relentless pulse of vehicles. Within the engine’s fierce, imperfect burn of fuel, a torrent of gases and compounds is unleashed, including the insidious black carbon. This fine, sooty dust—a signature of incomplete combustion—rises not just from the ancient fires of wood or coal, but overwhelmingly from the tailpipes of our modern transit, staining the very sky above us.
Before we turn to other atmospheric burdens, we must confront the sinister power of black carbon. This pollutant casts an immediate shadow, acting as a profound heat sink that captures solar radiance and releases it directly as searing warmth. This effect fuels urban temperature spikes, setting off damaging ripples across the climate and threatening the very foundations of human health and vitality.
Our atmosphere carries an invisible storm of other contaminants, particularly in highly-trafficked regions. Vehicle engines exhale twin perils: nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). A more subtle threat comes from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) like benzene. These compounds, earning their “volatile” title from their capacity to vaporize effortlessly, become dangerously accessible, entering our lungs with disquieting ease.
The combustion of waste, especially plastics, unleashes a truly noxious array, a dark chemistry involving dioxins, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and corrosive heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. Compounding this danger is carbon monoxide (CO), a ghost from burning wood and faulty combustion units. This colorless, odorless agent is a notorious household assassin, capable of causing rapid fatalities if ventilation is not scrupulously maintained.
These are but a few threads in the vast tapestry of airborne toxins that shroud polluted areas. Each chemical carries a devastating array of health consequences—a stark testament to the profound and terrible price exacted by unchecked industrial discharge and environmental neglect.
Health issues in Pakistan with having polluted air:
Polluted air is a silent, systemic killer, dramatically escalating rates of illness and mortality. The atmosphere we breathe delivers a lethal cocktail directly to our lungs, triggering a spectrum of respiratory crises from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to severe, aggravated asthma attacks. In places like Pakistan, the air isn’t just hazardous—it’s toxic, potentially even seeding new asthma cases in vulnerable populations, especially young children.
The greatest peril lies with microscopic PM2.5 particles. These invisible assassins penetrate the deepest lung tissues, leading to scarring and choking the body’s oxygen supply. For children, this intrusion risks stunting growth and damaging cognitive development.
Even more alarmingly, PM2.5 infiltrates the bloodstream, embarking on a destructive systemic journey. Once in circulation, these particulates wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system, spiking the risk of crippling events like ischemic heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks, while eroding the function of vital filtration organs.
