Chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab calls for diplomacy with India to tackle smog

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Updated 30 October 2024
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Chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab calls for diplomacy with India to tackle smog

Chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab calls for diplomacy with India to tackle smog
  • Maryam Nawaz Sharif says contemplating writing letter to Indian counterpart to seek “joint measures” 
  • New Delhi was world’s second most polluted city on Wednesday followed by Lahore in neighboring Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Wednesday called for diplomacy with neighbor and arch-rival India to combat smog as both nations grapple with hazardous levels of air pollution ahead of the winter months. 

Rated the world’s most polluted capital by Swiss group IQAir for four years in a row, Indian capital New Delhi was the world’s second most polluted city on Wednesday, the group’s live rankings showed, followed by Lahore in neighboring Pakistan. Baghdad in Iraq was ranked number one on the list. 

When cooler temperatures take hold, pollution spirals and air quality deteriorates as temperature inversion traps pollution closer to the ground, packing hospital wards in Lahore and New Delhi 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.

Addressing a ceremony to mark the Hindu cultural festival of Diwali on Wednesday, the Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan and India needed to coordinate actions to temper toxic smog, which winds carry across the border.

“There is an issue of smog in Pakistan’s Punjab, especially in Lahore. So, we must do this diplomacy with India,” Sharif said. “For the health of people there [Indian Punjab], for their betterment and the betterment of our side of the border, for our health, for the health of our people, until both Punjabs take joint measures, we won’t be able to fight smog.”

The annual practice of burning crop stubble left after harvesting paddy to clear fields for wheat planting is widely blamed for toxic pollution in the region before winter, causing disruptions such as school closures and construction curbs. 

But people often also flout New Delhi’s ban on smoke-emitting firecrackers, usually burnt in celebration of the Diwali festival which runs from Wednesday to Friday this year, worsening pollution.

Sharif said she was contemplating writing a letter to her Indian counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, on the issue of combating smog.

“This is not a political issue, it’s a human issue, on which if we [Pakistan] are taking steps, then the Indian side should have a matching response, the same measures should be taken there because the winds don’t know that there is a boundary in between,” Sharif added. 

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.

SMOG PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES 

In Pakistan’s Punjab, authorities have enforced new measures to combat hazardous smog, including making mask-wearing mandatory across the city of Lahore. New, shorter school timings have also been announced in the city while student assemblies will be conducted in classrooms rather than outdoor spaces. All outdoor activities at schools have been temporarily suspended. A ban has also been imposed on fireworks in Lahore until Jan. 31, 2025. 

“Till the Lahore residents don’t announce war against smog, the government can’t do anything,” Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said while speaking to Geo News om Wednesday. “We need cooperation from Lahore’s people to make this a smog-free city.”

The minister said the smog helpline number 1373 had been launched so citizens could report activities leading to air pollution, urging residents to check that their cars were not expelling toxic fumes and requesting farmers to halt stubble burning.

Speaking about Punjab CM’s vision to convert all vehicles in Lahore to electric, she said at least 200-250 electric buses were required in Lahore. 

“Cameras to detect vehicles emitting smoke are being installed and the smoke-emitting vehicle will be stopped after three warnings,” she added. 

Separately, the World Wild Fund (WWF) Pakistan published a report based on air quality data from 2013-2024 that showed that Lahore’s air quality had “degraded” due to vehicular emissions, crop residue burning, industrial processes and coal combustion while air pollution levels remained the same. 

The report recommended promoting electric vehicles, enhancing sustainable development models, segregating industrial zones, expanding mass transit networks and switching to renewable energy sources.

The WWF report also recommended the widespread use of low-cost sensor-based monitoring systems that can measure pollutants, mandatory vehicular emission testing, integrated traffic management, crop residue management and minimizing the construction sector’s dust.

Breathing toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the World Health Organization saying strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases can be triggered due to prolonged exposure.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, nearly 600 million children in South Asia are exposed to high levels of air pollution.


Pakistan, Russia resolve to strengthen cooperation amid surging ‘terrorism’ in Afghanistan

Pakistan, Russia resolve to strengthen cooperation amid surging ‘terrorism’ in Afghanistan
Updated 5 sec ago
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Pakistan, Russia resolve to strengthen cooperation amid surging ‘terrorism’ in Afghanistan

Pakistan, Russia resolve to strengthen cooperation amid surging ‘terrorism’ in Afghanistan
  • Pakistan, Russia joint working group to counter international “terrorism” meets in Moscow
  • Discussions revolved around growing need for adaptive strategies, says Pakistan foreign ministry

ISLAMABAD: Senior officials from Pakistan and Russia on Tuesday agreed to strengthen cooperation in the face of evolving “terrorism” in Afghanistan and the region, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement. 

Pakistan and Russia have both struggled with threats from armed militant groups. Islamabad complains about increasing “cross-border” attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that it says originate from Afghanistan, allegations denied by Kabul. 

Russia also faces threats from Daesh militants. On Mar. 22, 2024, a deadly attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow killed over 140 people and injured several. The attack, claimed by Daesh militants, was one of the deadliest in Russia in recent years.

Both sides discussed counter-terror strategies during the 11th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism in Moscow on Tuesday. Pakistan’s delegation was led by Special Secretary (United Nations) Nabeel Munir, while the Russian side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Vershinin, for talks that will go on till Wednesday. 

“The two sides held an in-depth exchange of views on the global and regional terrorism landscape, with particular attention to the evolving threat posed by terrorism in Afghanistan and the region,” Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry said. 

“The discussions focused around the increasingly transnational nature of terrorism and the growing need for adaptive and cooperative strategies.”

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their resolve to strengthen cooperation amid shared challenges posed by militants. The two delegations also recognized that collective efforts remain essential to maintaining regional and global stability, the Pakistani foreign ministry said. 

Both sides decided to hold the working group’s next meeting in 2026. 

Pakistan and Russia held the last meeting of the working group on Nov. 16, 2023, during which Moscow and Islamabad discussed national strategies and measures in combating “terrorism.”

The platform provides both sides an opportunity to share their experiences and best practices in battling militancy.


Pakistan praises Islamic Development Bank’s anti-polio efforts, with $587 million disbursed since 2013

Pakistan praises Islamic Development Bank’s anti-polio efforts, with $587 million disbursed since 2013
Updated 47 min 33 sec ago
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Pakistan praises Islamic Development Bank’s anti-polio efforts, with $587 million disbursed since 2013

Pakistan praises Islamic Development Bank’s anti-polio efforts, with $587 million disbursed since 2013
  • PM’s focal person for polio eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, meets IsDB delegation in Islamabad
  • IsDB is one of largest financiers of Pakistan’s anti-polio program, announced $587 million loan in 2023

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani prime minister’s aide on polio eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, on Tuesday acknowledged the Islamic Development Bank’s (IsDB) financial and strategic contributions to sustain its anti-polio program in the country. 

The IsDB has contributed over $587 million to eradicate poliovirus from Pakistan since 2013, making it one of the largest financiers of the country’s anti-polio program. It announced a loan of $100 million in December 2023 to support Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts. 

Farooq met a high-level delegation of the IsDB’s Regional Hub in Turkiye at the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) in Islamabad on Tuesday, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme said. 

“The Islamic Development Bank has been a pillar of strength for the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, especially during its most challenging phases,” Farooq was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s anti-polio program. 

“Your financial and strategic contributions have been instrumental in sustaining the program and ensuring that vaccination campaigns reach the most vulnerable children across the country.”

Pakistan is only one of two countries worldwide where polio remains endemic. The Pakistani government launched a seven-day nationwide campaign on Monday to vaccinate over 45 million children against the disease. 

Dr. Walid Mohamad Abdelwahab, director of the IsDB’s regional hub in Turkiye, reaffirmed the institution’s support for Pakistan in achieving a polio-free future, the statement said. He commended Pakistan for its efforts and collaboration in the fight against polio, it added. 

The delegation briefly visited the NEOC control room following the meeting, where they were informed about the national reach of the campaign. The IsDB delegation was told the campaign would cover over 45.4 million children through the efforts of more than 400,000 frontline health workers via door-to-door vaccinations.

“IsDB commended the Government of Pakistan’s relentless efforts and reaffirmed its support in reaching the last mile of polio eradication,” Pakistan’s anti-polio program said.

In 2024, Pakistan reported an alarming 74 polio cases. The country’s polio program, launched in 1994, has faced persistent challenges including vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners, who claim immunization is a foreign conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children or a guise for Western espionage. 

Militant groups have also repeatedly targeted and killed polio vaccination workers during nationwide drives.


Pakistan looks to boost US imports, remove non-tariff barriers to escape Trump measures

Pakistan looks to boost US imports, remove non-tariff barriers to escape Trump measures
Updated 22 April 2025
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Pakistan looks to boost US imports, remove non-tariff barriers to escape Trump measures

Pakistan looks to boost US imports, remove non-tariff barriers to escape Trump measures
  • Pakistan’s government mulling options which range from importing crude oil from the US to abolishing tariffs on American imports
  • Islamabad is trying to appease the US to seek reprieve from the 29 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump last month

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Bloomberg this week Pakistan is looking to buy more goods from the US and remove non-tariffs barriers to escape President Donald Trump’s high tariffs.

Pakistan’s government is mulling options, which range from importing crude oil from the US to abolishing tariffs on American imports, as Islamabad attempts to offset a trade imbalance that has triggered higher tariffs from Washington. 

“It’s a bigger canvas that we are looking at in terms of engaging the US,” Aurangzeb said in an interview with Bloomberg News on Monday ahead of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings in Washington. “We will constructively engage, and we will have a formal delegation coming in.”

Pakistan is looking to buy more cotton and soybean from the US, the finance chief said, adding that it is also in talks to tear down non-trade barriers to open its markets to more US products.

“We can also look at if there are any issues with respect to non-tariff discussion, whether there are any onerous inspections at our end for US products, we can obviously view that.”

Islamabad is trying to appease the US to seek reprieve from the 29 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by Trump. While those levies are on hold until July, Pakistan has said it will send a trade delegation to Washington in the coming months to bridge the trade gap. 

The US is Pakistan’s largest export market with over $5 billion in annual exports as of 2024, while Pakistan’s imports from the US are about $2.1 billion.

The finance minister said the country is also open to foreign direct investments from US firms in its recently opened minerals and mining sectors.

Aurangzeb, a close aide of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is in the US for a nearly week-long trip to participate in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The former JPMorgan Chase & Co. banker said that the crisis-ridden nation will tap the international capital markets to secure more funds for a sustainable growth.

“What we are looking for is how we get away from a boom-and-bust cycle which Pakistan has gone through and get on to a sustainable growth path,” he told Bloomberg. 

Pakistan is preparing to debut its first-ever Panda bond in the range of $200 million to $250 million that will likely take place in the fourth quarter of this year, the minister added.

Authorities are trying to rebuild Pakistan’s tattered economy after it came close to a default in 2023. Last month, the South Asian nation won an initial nod for a $2.3 billion IMF loan that will give it funding visibility until 2027. 

Last week, Fitch upgraded Pakistan’s credit rating, citing confidence that the South Asian country will be able to sustain reforms under the IMF loan program.


Pakistan sets up National Cybercrime Investigation Agency amid digital crackdown concerns

Pakistan sets up National Cybercrime Investigation Agency amid digital crackdown concerns
Updated 22 April 2025
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Pakistan sets up National Cybercrime Investigation Agency amid digital crackdown concerns

Pakistan sets up National Cybercrime Investigation Agency amid digital crackdown concerns
  • The development comes months after Pakistan introduced new law to regulate social media content, which provides for a regulator with its own investigation agency, tribunals
  • Journalists have long complained of increasing state pressure on traditional and digital media in Pakistan, which is ranked 152nd out of 180 countries on press freedom index

KARACHI: Pakistan has transformed the Cybercrime Wing of its Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) into an autonomous organization and named the new agency as the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the FIA said on Tuesday, amid digital crackdown concerns in the South Asian country.
The development comes months after Pakistan introduced a new law to regulate social media content, with journalist groups and rights activists saying it is aimed at curbing press freedom and dissent on social media.
Enacted in 2016 and further tightened with amendments this January, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) was drafted with the stated aim to combat cybercrimes such as hacking, online harassment, and data breaches.
In its statement on Tuesday, the FIA said the Pakistani government had given autonomous status to its erstwhile cybercrime wing in view of the “growing threats of cybercrime” and transformed it into the NCCIA.
“This new organization has been established under the name of National Cybercrime Investigation Agency, which has full authority to prevent, investigate and prosecute cybercrime across the country,” it said.
“This organization will take effective measures against online fraud, harassment, digital blackmail, fake websites, identity theft, social media crime and other cyber activities.”
The FIA said the public will now have to contact the NCCIA for the sake of investigation or complaints relating to cybercrimes, the FIA said, adding that the new agency could be reached at helpline number 0519106691 or email helpdesk@nr3c.gov.pk.
The development comes weeks after the Freedom Network, a Pakistani media and development sector watchdog, said the new social media law was being used as a “tool” by state authorities to suppress freedom of expression and target journalists. It released a data analysis for March 2025 documenting eight instances of threats against journalists, with three cases directly involving the contentious PECA legislation.
Pakistani officials have defended the PECA law, which provides for a social media regulatory authority that will have its own investigation agency and tribunals, according to a draft on the parliament’s website. Such tribunals will be able to try and punish offenders with prison sentences of up to three years and fines of two million rupees ($7,200) for dissemination of “false or fake” information.
“This is the first time the government has defined what social media is,” Information Minister Ataullah Tarar told reporters after the amended law was passed this year.
“There is already a system in place for print and electronic media and complaints can be registered against them.”
Journalists have long complained of increasing state pressure on traditional and digital media in Pakistan, which is ranked 152nd out of 180 countries on press freedom index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a media watchdog that promotes and defends press freedom.
Social media platform X is officially banned in Pakistan, but accessible using VPNs, while YouTube and TikTok have faced bans in the past.


Breaking barriers: Women fuel change at Pakistan’s male-dominated petrol pumps

Breaking barriers: Women fuel change at Pakistan’s male-dominated petrol pumps
Updated 41 min 38 sec ago
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Breaking barriers: Women fuel change at Pakistan’s male-dominated petrol pumps

Breaking barriers: Women fuel change at Pakistan’s male-dominated petrol pumps
  • While fuel stations have been predominantly staffed by men, there is a growing movement toward gender inclusivity
  • In the federal capital of Islamabad, hundreds of women are now working alongside male staff at fuel stations

ISLAMABAD: Clad in a crisp blue uniform and gripping the nozzle with practiced ease, Sumeera Bibi pumped fuel into the tank of a car, gesturing to the driver to check the reading on the dispenser machine. 

While fuel stations in Pakistan have been traditionally staffed by men, there is a growing movement toward gender inclusivity, with some stations now employing women like Sumeera as attendants. 

One notable example was the launch last year of Pakistan’s first all-female staffed fuel station, located in Johar Town, Lahore. 

In the federal capital of Islamabad also, hundreds of women are now working alongside male staff at fuel stations.

“Since getting this job, I have been able to care for my children on my own and overcome all my problems,” Sumeera, a mother of five, told Arab News on Monday at a Pakistan State Oil station on Constitution Avenue, home to major government buildings and embassies.

Getting the job has been life changing for Sumeera, married for years to a drug addict, before the relationship spiraled out of control and she was forced to move in with her sister.

“There were many difficulties as I had no job and was dependent on my sister,” said Sumeera, who works an 8 am-6pm shift six days a week.

“We faced many problems in the beginning, especially when customers would often try to touch our hands while returning their [credit] cards,” she said.

But getting a timely salary, annual bonus, free medical care and the means to raise and educate her children without being dependent on anyone have made all the difficulties worth it. 

“Before this, I had never worked. I had never even dealt with strangers,” she said. “Now, I deal with all kinds of people every day. There’s no shame in hard work.”

“POSITIVE RESPONSE“

The overall labor force participation rate for women in Pakistan at 25 percent is significantly lower than the global and South Asian average. A large portion of women in the labor force (67 percent) are employed in agriculture, with only 16 percent in services and 14 percent in manufacturing, according to UN Women. Even among women with higher education, labor force participation rates are relatively low, with only around 25 percent of women with a university degree participating in the labor force. 

Several factors contribute to the lower female labor force participation, including social norms, safety concerns, lack of mobility, and the availability of transportation. 

But despite the challenges, more and more women are venturing out.

Another fuel station attendant, Sana, who only gave her first name, said getting a job had taught her how to face the world and deal with all kinds of people, including those who did not appreciate women working in public spaces in a male-dominated filed.

“Every type of customer visits the station,” she told Arab News.

“Some customers praise our work, saying it’s great that we are working in an open environment instead of being confined to an office, while others discourage us, saying it’s not suitable for women.”

But management was supportive and helped to protect against and handle customers who caused trouble or misbehaved, Sana added. 

Rukhsana Bibi, who works at a PSO station in Islamabad’s F-8 sector, said she felt “secure” at the job, as all stations were monitored by CCTV cameras.

Coming from a middle-class background with limited education, Rukhsana said she stepped out of her home not just to earn but to build a better future for her children.

“My husband is a laborer, and his income couldn’t cover our household expenses and children’s education, that’s why I left home.”

Jahanzaib Abbasi, Deputy Division Manager at PSO Islamabad, said the company, as an equal opportunity employer, had started hiring women during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We received a very positive response,” he said. “Many women have now been working for six months to two years, and they are satisfied and happy with their jobs.”

For customers like Azka Durrani, seeing women confidently working at fuel stations is a “heartening sign of growing empowerment and changing social norms.”

“Whenever I see these ladies working at a fuel station,” she said as Rukhsana filled her car’s tank, “I feel empowered.”