Punjab Under Siege: Air Pollution in Lahore, Waste Catastrophe in Sahiwal
On the bustling streets of Lahore, the air often hangs heavy not just from endless streams of vehicles and industrial exhaust, but with a stubborn haze that stings the eyes and chokes the lungs. Each winter, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) consistently crosses into the “hazardous” range, sometimes spiking above 1,900, making it the most polluted city in the world at times. In January 2025, even on relatively “lighter” days, the AQI hovered around 550, far above safe limits. A 2023 study revealed that about 83% of Lahore’s air pollution comes from its transport sector, while crop residue burning and open garbage burning add to this toxic brew.
The consequences on public health are severe. Hospitals, such as Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, report surges of up to 50% in child respiratory cases during peak smog periods, with many requiring intensive nebulizer treatments. UNICEF has warned that Lahore’s persistent smog severely affects pregnant women and young children, describing the situation as “devastating.” School closures and restricted outdoor activities have become almost routine during the smog season, further highlighting the scale of this urban environmental crisis.
To respond, the Punjab government set up a “smog war room” in Lahore in late 2024. This emergency command center coordinates different departments to monitor air quality and issue real-time advisories. While short-term measures include temporary school closures and bans on certain industrial activities, longer-term solutions have focused on waste management reforms. The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC), established in 2010, oversees the city’s solid waste, and facilities like the Lahore Composting Plant at Mehmood Booti process up to 1,000 tonnes of waste daily to produce compost, reducing methane emissions from landfill sites.
About 180 km away, Sahiwal faces a different but equally urgent environmental emergency. In 2021–22, a solid-waste treatment and composting plant was built in the city at a cost of PKR 394 million, designed to process up to 200 tonnes of waste daily and produce certified compost. However, the plant quickly fell into disuse after its formal handover in late 2024, reportedly due to administrative neglect and lack of technical support. As a result, around 120–140 tonnes of municipal waste are now dumped daily along the banks of the Lower Bari Doab Canal, near Jhal Road. Frequent open burning of this waste fills nearby neighborhoods with thick, toxic smoke.
Despite receiving PKR 1.8 billion in funding from the Asian Development Bank to improve semi-urban civic services, Sahiwal has failed to secure a legal landfill site. Plans to develop a landfill near Bunga Hayat have been delayed by land disputes and bureaucratic hurdles.
The environmental and health impacts are far-reaching. Contaminated canal water, rising vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue, and increased cases of respiratory and skin conditions have turned this crisis into a major public health threat. Despite receiving PKR 1.8 billion in funding from the Asian Development Bank to improve semi-urban civic services, Sahiwal has failed to secure a legal landfill site. Plans to develop a landfill near Bunga Hayat have been delayed by land disputes and bureaucratic hurdles.
In December 2024, Punjab launched the “Suthra Punjab” initiative, aiming to modernize waste management across the province by introducing GPS-tracked waste collection, specialized cleaning fleets, and online complaint systems. While this ambitious plan offers some hope, Sahiwal’s dormant compost plant and unresolved dumping crisis underscore the urgent need for practical, on-ground implementation rather than policy announcements alone.
Both Lahore and Sahiwal illustrate the broader environmental and public health challenges facing Pakistan. With persistent PM2.5 exposure
Both Lahore and Sahiwal illustrate the broader environmental and public health challenges facing Pakistan. With persistent PM2.5 exposure, Punjab’s residents are experiencing reduced life expectancies and heightened risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, these issues are compounded by climate change, which has brought more intense heatwaves and unpredictable flooding.
The situations in Lahore and Sahiwal highlight a critical need for political commitment, stronger municipal capacities, and community engagement. Solutions such as stricter vehicle emissions controls, the reactivation of compost plants, establishment of proper landfills, and robust waste segregation and recycling systems are urgently required. Without decisive action, millions will continue to suffer, and the environment will remain on a dangerous downward trajectory.
