By Dr Jawad Nasir, Researcher at SUPARCO
Every year, nearly the entire Punjab province of Pakistan and the adjoining Indian region are engulfed in thick, obnoxious smog from November to February. In recent years, the intensity of this smog has worsened and extended into parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), suffocating daily life.
Seasonal Nature of Smog: A Recurring Nightmare
In Punjab, smog season means a continuous stream of media reports about motorway shutdowns, flight cancellations, school closures, fatal road accidents, and hospitals overwhelmed with patients struggling to breathe.
Each year, reactive measures such as temporary bans on stubble burning, industrial shutdowns, and “green lockdowns” are implemented. However, once the skies clear, the issue fades, and the government and media turn their attention to other matters. Yet, smog is not just a seasonal nuisance; it is the result of year-round neglect in the form of unchecked emissions and environmental violations.
For instance, data from an air quality sensor at the U.S. Embassy in Lahore reveals that in 2023, only 46 days out of 362 saw PM2.5 levels within the statutory limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter. These air pollutants accumulate and cause smog during winter when wind patterns are calm and persistent. As the saying goes, “Nature never accepts human waste and eventually retaliates with a vengeance,” and this is particularly true during smog season.
Health and Environmental Impacts of Smog
Smog exacerbates respiratory issues such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung disease, while also increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer—particularly lung cancer—and neurological disorders, including cognitive impairment, eye irritation, and nausea. The problem extends beyond human health; smog also contaminates aquatic ecosystems, harms crop yields, and ultimately impacts the national economy. Despite years of attention, the problem continues to intensify.
While smog is often attributed to transboundary issues, such as the burning of crop residue and emissions from India, local sources of pollution also contribute significantly to its severity. Recent reports highlight debates over the main sources of smog: some experts attribute it to vehicular emissions, while others point to brick kilns and industrial pollutants.
Additionally, burning crop remnants is frequently identified as a major source. While each of these claims holds merit, a definitive conclusion on the primary sources of pollution cannot be made until long-term data on smog constituents becomes available.
Currently, the battle against smog is hindered by limited data and reliance on reactive measures. The sparse distribution of air quality sensors across Punjab is a major obstacle to identifying the precise nature and concentration of air pollutants.
Existing sensors primarily measure particulate matter, despite smog being a mixture of various pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, ozone, black carbon, and more. This limitation leaves vast areas inadequately monitored, making it difficult to assess the full scope of smog’s composition and its effects on human health and ecosystems.
Big Data and Satellite Technology: The Solution to Smog Monitoring
In this context, ‘Big Data’—comprising ground-based measurements, satellite observations, meteorological data, source apportionment, and deep learning models—could be the key to combating this invisible enemy. Satellite technology, which has revolutionized environmental studies, offers continuous global observations that aid in mitigation efforts, disaster preparedness, policy decisions, and sustainable development.
High-resolution satellite imagery provides a comprehensive view of the Earth, allowing authorities to track the extent of smog, monitor pollutant concentrations, detect agricultural burning, estimate urban sprawl, and more. Combining satellite data with artificial intelligence (AI) can accelerate the analysis of large datasets, identify pollution patterns, forecast smog intensity and duration, and pinpoint pollutant sources.
Global Collaboration: Learning from other Countries’ Approaches
Globally, environmental protection agencies collaborate with space agencies to monitor environmental changes. For instance, NASA (United States) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) integrate satellite data and climate models to study the effects of climate change. Similarly, the European Environment Agency uses data from the European Space Agency (ESA) to analyze variables like air quality, deforestation, and land use.
In Pakistan, addressing growing environmental challenges, including air pollution and climate change, requires coordinated efforts across multiple institutions. A “National Environmental & Climate Change Task Force” could consolidate expertise, resources, and technologies from organizations such as Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO, provincial EPAs, disaster management authorities, the Meteorological Department, and the Ministry of Climate Change.
Moving beyond Reactive Measures: Long-Term Solutions to Smog
To combat smog effectively, solutions must go beyond temporary fixes implemented during smog season. Techniques such as artificial rain or cloud seeding have been suggested to mitigate pollution. While these methods can improve air quality under certain conditions, their effectiveness depends on cloud and weather patterns, and there are environmental concerns regarding the impact of seeding materials. Moreover, artificial rain addresses only the symptoms, not the root causes of smog.
To permanently rid the region of this “uninvited visitor,” a multifaceted approach is required, encompassing short-, medium-, and long-term measures.
Short-term actions might include stricter pollution checks on factories, vehicles, and construction sites, crop residue management programs for farmers, and public education on pollution sources and their health impacts.
Medium-term measures could involve expanding public transit infrastructure, integrating satellite data with air quality monitoring, and providing sustainable crop residue management options such as biofuel conversion technologies.
Long-term strategies should focus on transitioning to low-emission fuels like Euro 5 or Euro 6, promoting clean energy alternatives (e.g., solar, wind, and bioenergy), incentivizing improved waste management practices, and strengthening climate diplomacy with India by adopting collaborative frameworks, such as the ASEAN model for transboundary haze pollution.
Pakistan can no longer afford to wait for the smog season to take action. Both the smog and its causes are human-made. The cycle of reactive measures and temporary media coverage is unsustainable.
If we stop treating smog as a seasonal crisis and instead recognize it as an ongoing environmental catastrophe, we can take meaningful steps toward long-term solutions and ensure that we won’t be writing the same stories in years to come.