Peshawar, the sixth largest city in Pakistan and one of the oldest in the world, is facing a severe smog crisis that has earned it the dubious distinction of being the world’s most polluted metropolis. According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), a measure of air pollution levels, Peshawar’s AQI soared to 324 on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, making the air quality very unhealthy for everyone.
The smog, a thick layer of smoke and fog that covers the city, is caused by a combination of factors, including vehicle emissions, industrial activities, crop burning, dust storms, and low wind speeds. The smog reduces visibility, affects the health of the residents, and damages the environment. Some analysts have even called it the fifth weather, after winter, spring, summer, and autumn.
The smog crisis has prompted the government and civil society to take action to mitigate the problem and raise awareness among the public. The government has imposed a ban on the use of old and unfit vehicles, ordered the closure of brick kilns and factories that do not comply with environmental standards, and launched a campaign to plant more trees in the city.
However, these efforts have not been enough to solve the problem, as the smog persists and worsens with each passing day. Experts say that more radical and long-term solutions are needed, such as improving public transportation, switching to renewable energy sources, enforcing strict emission standards, and collaborating with neighboring countries to address the regional dimension of the issue.
Peshawar’s smog crisis is not only a challenge for the city, but also a wake-up call for the whole world. It shows the urgent need to tackle the global problem of air pollution, which affects millions of lives and threatens the future of the planet.