Pakistan continues to fight with severe air pollution, qualifying as one of the countries most affected by the world’s smog, according to the new data published on Tuesday. The country’s air quality is well below the recommended standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), with hazardous particles (PM2.5) that significantly exceed safe limits.
In 2024, Pakistan was classified among the five main most contaminated countries worldwide, along with Chad, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo and India. The average concentration of PM2.5 in Pakistan was alarmingly high, far exceeding the safe limit of the WHO of 5 micrograms per cubic meter, which only met by 17% of global cities last year.
This persistent Smog crises is not only a great health concern, but also a setback in the country’s efforts to improve air quality. The main urban centers such as Lahore and Karachi regularly face intense pollution, especially during winter, when fog and industrial emissions combine to worsen air quality.
Pakistan’s dependence on external monitoring sources has also become a significant challenge.
For years, the air quality sensors of the US State Department, installed in Embassy and Consulate buildings, provided crucial real -time pollution data for many nations in development, including Pakistan.
However, the United States recently ended this monitoring program, citing budget limitations. This has left countries as Pakistan vulnerable to gaps in pollution data, which makes future efforts difficult to combat Smog.
Christi Chester-Schroeder, Manager of IQair Air Quality Sciences, highlighted the impact on countries such as Pakistan, where these monitoring stations were often the only source of air quality information in real time. “The loss of these monitoring stations is a great blow for efforts in regions where pollution data is scarce,” he said.
As global pollution levels increase, climate change is intensifying the situation. The highest temperatures lead to longer and severe forest fires, particularly in parts of Southeast Asia and South America, which makes air quality worse further.
The closure of the United States air quality program could affect at least 34 countries, including Pakistan, with a substantial loss of reliable pollution data. Christist Hasenkopf, director of the Clean Air Program at the Institute of Energy Policy of the University of Chicago, described the movement as a significant setback. “It is a giant blow for air quality efforts worldwide,” he said.
With the climate change that worsens pollution and loss of key monitoring tools, Pakistan faces an increasingly difficult battle against his smog crisis. The need for reliable air quality data and stronger pollution control measures has ever been more urgent.
