All cities in Pakistan suffer from air pollution to some extent, but Lahore is coming out on top. There was a time when Lahore was known for its lush green gardens and clear mornings, but now the city is being persistently recognised as the “world champion of pollution”, with its position fluctuating from 1st to 5th but remaining in the top 10 throughout the year. The news of being at the top of the list of cities with the worst Air Quality Index (AQI) is no longer just a red flag or a warning, but an admission of the bitter reality that the residents of Lahore are suffocating and are in the grip of a permanent human tragedy.

The biggest misconception among our policymakers and the public is that air pollution is perhaps only a problem of the winter season, while the reality is quite the opposite. Poor air quality in Lahore and other cities of the country has now taken the form of a comprehensive and permanent crisis, which is poisoning our bodies throughout the year. The public wakes up only when smog starts stinging our eyes, although those toxic pollutants that remain invisible are our silent killers throughout the year, and citizens do not even realise what air pollution crisis they are facing.

The Urban Unit’s annual report on this air pollution crisis repeatedly makes it clear that the transport sector is responsible for 83 percent of Lahore’s air pollution. These figures are screaming that unless we fix our........

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