he recent green lockdowns in the Punjab, an emergency measure to mitigate the thick smog blanketing the city, have highlighted an unpalatable reality: environment protection is not just failing, it is endangering millions of lives. The smog season in the Punjab is as predictable as it is deadly. The particulate-laden air chokes the city, dims the sun and fills hospitals with people suffering from asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. For several years, the recurring crisis has strained public health systems, disrupted daily life and left citizens questioning why such extreme measures—essentially a cessation of urban life—are seen as the only viable solution to an escalating environmental disaster.

These lockdowns, while effective at temporarily reducing pollution levels, are a blunt instrument and far from a viable solution. They reveal an uncomfortable truth: the regulatory framework is reactive and ill-suited to address complex causes of pollution. Lahore’s air quality crisis has reached an unsustainable level. Yet, year after year, the official response is limited to short-lived interventions. Little attention has been paid to the systemic changes that could bring lasting relief.

The consequences are brutal. Particulate matter, particularly PM2.5 and PM10, penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, triggering a surge in respiratory issues, heart disease and cancer. Each year, tens of thousands of lives in Lahore are shortened by toxic air; children miss school due to breathing difficulties; and the elderly are forced indoors for months. This is more than an inconvenience; it is a public health crisis of severe proportions. For the government to respond with mere lockdowns speaks of a serious neglect.

What led to this failure? The root causes of the problem are well-documented: unchecked industrial emissions, crop waste burning in rural areas, rising vehicular pollution in urban areas and dependence on fossil fuels. The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency has the mandate to regulate emissions. However, enforcement is weak, due in part to limited funding, fragmented bureaucratic oversight and a lack of political will. Many factories continue to burn low-grade fuels, most vehicles operate without proper emissions checks and stubble burning spikes every winter as a cheap, easy method of clearing the fields. These are not unavoidable pollutants; they are the result of regulatory gaps that could be bridged if Pakistan prioritised its environment with the seriousness it deserves.

Similar patterns are visible across the border in New Delhi, where India’s capital has struggled with smog for years. Every winter, Delhi authorities come up with emergency “smog plans” and temporary shutdowns of factories and traffic. Yet, like Lahore, the reliance on short-term measures has failed to produce lasting improvements in air quality. Delhi’s experience has shown that without a fundamental overhaul of air quality standards, urban planning and energy policy, the smog will continue to haunt major South Asian cities. The crisis goes beyond national borders and reflects an alarming regional pattern of policy neglect.

The great smog of London in 1952 killed more than 12,000 people and triggered profound regulatory changes. Until then, pollution control in Britain had been virtually non-existent. The devastating death toll served as a gruesome catalyst for the Clean Air Act of 1956, which established emission standards and restricted coal use in urban areas. It was a watershed moment in environmental governance. It ultimately laid the groundwork for healthier cities. Pakistan stands on the precipice of a similar choice. Will it allow the grim spectre of Lahore’s smog to persist, or will it seize this moment to make structural changes to protect its citizens?

Similar patterns can be seen across the border in New Delhi, where India’s capital has struggled with smog for years. Every winter, authorities in Delhi come up with emergency “smog plans” and enforce temporary shutdowns of factories and traffic. Yet, like Lahore, the reliance on short-term measures has failed to produce lasting improvements in air quality.

Temporary lockdowns, though well-intentioned, are little more than a plaster on a festering wound. Lahore’s green lockdowns are an admission that the government has been unwilling or unable to enact and enforce policies that could curb pollution. To address Lahore’s smog crisis, Pakistan must pivot towards long-term solutions that address the core drivers of pollution. This includes stricter regulation of industrial emissions, mandatory emission testing for vehicles and robust incentives for the adoption of cleaner energy sources. Given its high solar potential, Pakistan could make significant strides in renewable energy that would reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and slash pollution. Such changes are not only possible but essential.

Agriculture, too, must be transformed. Burning should not be the only affordable way to clear crop residue. Providing subsidies for machinery, such as the Happy Seeder used in India, could help farmers process straw without setting it ablaze, thus reducing a major source of particulate matter in the air. Encouraging sustainable farming practices through financial incentives and education could break the cycle of crop-burning pollution that haunts Lahore every winter.

Public awareness has a critical role. Many people do not fully understand the long-term health impact of smog or the small changes they can make to reduce pollution. Community engagement initiatives, educational campaigns and transparent air quality reporting can empower citizens to hold both industries and government accountable. Public demand for cleaner air is an invaluable force for change, especially if it garners momentum in high-pollution cities across the country.

For Lahore, the time for urgent action has arrived. Pakistan cannot afford to wait for a tragedy on the scale of London’s great smog to force its hand. The current crisis in Lahore should be treated as an emergency not only for the people currently suffering but as a clarion call for the future health of the entire nation. Policymakers must look beyond temporary fixes and invest in sustainable solutions to save lives, protect public health and restore faith in government actions.

As the city chokes with unbreathable air, the real question Pakistan faces is one of political will. Will the government take decisive action against the polluting industries, allocate resources for enforcement and craft a cohesive policy framework to fight air pollution? Or will it continue to rely on “green lockdowns” during the smog season?

Lahore’s struggle is more than a local environmental issue; it is emblematic of the consequences of neglecting our planet. Smog is not simply a product of winter winds and urban sprawl. It is a man-made disaster, born of regulatory failure, industrial pollution and inertia.

The writer is an advocate of High Court, a founding partner at Lex Mercatoria and a visiting teacher at Bahria University’s Law Department. She can be reached at minahil.ali12@yahoo.com