Maryam wants joint strategy with India to curb increasing smog in both Punjabs

As people across Punjab struggle to breathe amid worsening smog issues, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has reiterated the call for “climate diplomacy” with neighbouring India to address the worsening phenomena affecting residents on both sides of the border.

Terming the issue a humanitarian crisis which requires joint action while speaking at an event in Lahore on Wednesday, the provincial chief executive said that she may write to her Indian counterpart, reiterating her commitment to “smog diplomacy”.

With the air quality deteriorating in the city, citizens continued to complain about burning eyes, irritation in the throat, cough, and other health-related issues.

The top provincial official made similar remarks earlier this month, as Pakistan and its arch-rival India continue to grapple with dangerously high pollution levels from seasonal smog.

Smog, she further said, is a humanitarian issue, not a political one, and called for collaborative efforts to tackle it effectively. “If both Punjabs do not join hands, then we cannot battle smog.”

Relations between India and Pakistan have gone through periods of thaw but have been largely frozen since they downgraded diplomatic ties in tit-for-tat moves in 2019.

When cooler temperatures take hold, pollution spirals. Lahore and Delhi are among the most polluted cities in the world, according to media reports.

Air quality deteriorates in cooler months, as temperature inversion traps pollution closer to the ground, packing hospital wards with patients with respiratory problems.

Rising air pollution can cut life expectancy by more than five years per person in South Asia, one of the world’s most polluted regions, according to a report published last year which flagged the growing burden of hazardous air on health.

Earlier this morning, Lahore held the first position, while it is currently ranked second with very unhealthy air quality after Delhi which holds a spot in the hazardous category.

However, despite their strained ties, the ice broke between the nations with Indian Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar came to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit earlier this month, as per an Indian journalist.

Minority Card incentives

Moreover, while addressing the ceremony, Punjab CM Maryam referring to the minorities as a crown of her head, emphasised deep respect and commitment to their welfare.

She said the provincial government will launch a Minority Card for deserving families on December 20 across the province.

Wishing a happy Diwali to the Hindu community, Maryam announced Rs15,000 per family for 1,400 Hindu families as a gift.