Pollution policy.

A NATIONAL policy on combating air pollution has been long overdue. With Pakistan's largest cities regularly ranking among the most polluted in the world, it is a wonder that the issue had not been looked into with more urgency. Better late than never, as they say. According to news reports, the federal government okayed the National Clear Air Policy recently, 'aiming to improve air quality in the country by reducing pollution'. According to a story carried in this paper, the policy will attempt to provide a comprehensive framework to tackle air pollution, focusing on actions that can be taken at the national level to mitigate its harmful effects. Primary objectives of the policy have been identified as reducing deaths due to pollution-related illnesses, transboundary pollution, improving general health, and reducing the impact of air pollution on national economic activity.

According to Sherry Rehman, climate change minister and reportedly the driving force behind this effort, in the year 2019 alone, bad air caused 235,000 premature deaths in Pakistan. It reduced the average life expectancy by 2.7 years. Those are staggering numbers. There has been an equally stupefying economic cost borne by the country for its failure to act against the menace, which the World Bank has estimated to be around $48bn...

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