Smog Descends Again.

Lahore welcomes yet another season of smog with all eyes towards Indian farmers burning crops. The narrative coming from the government is that India is to be blamed for this atrocity, however, Indian farmers burning crops is a known fact for a long time now: enough for the government to take action and come up with remedies for the citizens of Lahore and adjoining areas. While the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government penalised crop burning in their tenure, in order to avoid punishment the farmers started burning crops at night here at this side of the border. This is public information at the disposal of the new government that needs to be vigilant about smog in the country.

Air pollution in Pakistan causes 135,000 deaths in the year. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Lahore and adjoining areas at this time has reached 484 according to Amnesty International, which is way past the hazardous limit of 300. Such air conditions are equivalent to residents smoking 14 cigarettes a day and result in the development of respiratory diseases. The government has ordered no directives to the resident to take any precautionary measures nor is there affirmation of how serious the situation is. The Environment Protection Secretary Salman Ejaz on Wednesday contradicted reports suggesting the development of hazardous level smog in...