Deaths Due to Air Pollution in the Country

Environmental Social Workers, including the Young Doctor's Association (YDA), protesting the smog situation, called on the government to take concrete steps to reduce air pollution levels.

The protesters in the provincial capital outside Jinnah Hospital demanded the government of Punjab.  the air quality index (AQI) or air quality level in Lahore is close to 450. An online petition is circulating in this regard, in which doctors filed their demands.

Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, who led the demonstration, said that research by The Lancet (Health-related General) has revealed that every year, 35,000 people die because of air pollution in Pakistan.

Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza termed pandemic research as important to know where we are in the examination of the ability to bear the burden of smog. In this regard, environmentalist Aysha Raja said that non-standard fuel is a major cause in this matter, adding that the emission rate in the world is Euro 6 while Punjab Clean Air Action Plan has fixed Euro 4. Otherwise, it is not implemented.

"We are still at Euro 2 and large amounts of sulfur are causing major problems," he said.

It is to be noted that the amount of sulfur in the fuel is currently at Euro 6 level, which is 5 to 10 parts per million, ie 0.0005 grams per kilometer, while in Pakistan high-speed diesel is one thousand parts per million.

Dr. Aaliya of Jinnah Hospital, who participated in the protest, said that the government should give PM 2.5 masks for free, especially to poor people as they could not spend Rs 300 for a single mass while sanitary workers and traffic police personnel also provided this mask. As they are most commonly encountered by air pollution