Lahore’s toxic air

November 10, 2026

Lahore’s return to the top of the world’s most polluted major cities is more than an alarming statistic. With its Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 590 on Monday and an hourly reading touching 647, the provincial capital is facing a public health emergency that demands immediate and collective action. No city should have to accept poisonous air as a normal part of everyday life.

The government’s enforcement campaign, including drone surveillance, night patrols, firefighting teams and legal action against those burning crop residue, is a step in the right direction. But operations and fines alone cannot solve a problem rooted in farming practices, weak enforcement, vehicle emissions, industrial pollution and poor waste management.

Farmers must be provided with affordable machinery and practical alternatives to burning crop residue. Industrial units and vehicle owners must comply with environmental standards, while authorities must act against smoke-emitting vehicles, factories and other sources of pollution without discrimination. Urban waste must not be burnt, and construction sites should be monitored to control dust.

Public cooperation is equally important. Citizens can help by avoiding unnecessary vehicle use, maintaining their vehicles, using public transport where possible, refusing to burn waste and reporting violations. Farmers, too, must understand that setting fields on fire does not make the problem disappear; it transfers the cost to the health of millions of people.

The government must make air quality information easily accessible, enforce environmental laws consistently and support long-term measures rather than relying on emergency responses when smog becomes unbearable. Schools, businesses, farmers, transporters and civil society should be brought into a sustained campaign for cleaner air.

Lahore’s pollution crisis cannot be blamed on one source or solved by one department. It requires a partnership between the government and the public, backed by science, effective enforcement and practical support.