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PESHAWAR, Oct 23 (APP):The ancient city of Peshawar, once known for its fragrant gardens, Gul e Dawoodi and clear blue skies, is now choking under a blanket of air pollution emanating mostly from tsunami of unregistered rickshaws, bricks kilns and marble units.
Across KP, urban and air pollution has emerged as one of the most critical public health and environmental challenges, and Peshawar stands at the epicenter of this environmental problem, exposing people to serious health ailments.
From the bustling bazaars of Qissa Khwani to the busy intersections of Ashraf, Charsadda and University Roads, residents are breathing air thick with pollutants while the authorities paid a deaf ear to this serious challenge.
The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) routinely exceeds the safe limits set by the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS), while fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) levels hover several times above the permissible thresholds.
“PM2.5 pollution increases age-specific mortality risk. Residents of Peshawar are highly vulnerable due to emissions from unregulated traffic, brick kilns, marble units, and chipboard factories,” explained Professor Dr. Muhammad Salimur Rehman, former Chairman of Environmental Sciences at the University of Peshawar.
He said that PM2.5 particles are microscopic yet deadly penetrating deep into the lungs and bloodstream, contributing to heart disease, asthma, cancer, and chronic respiratory illnesses.
“The World Health Organization recommends a PM2.5 concentration below 25 µg/m³, but Peshawar’s readings are alarmingly higher,” he warned.
Studies reveal that emissions from the transport sector account for nearly 58.5% of Peshawar’s pollution, with roadside dust, domestic burning, and industrial emissions adding to the toxic mix. Smoke and dust hang at heights of just five to ten feet in the city, often visible even on clear mornings.
“The health impacts are severe. We see a sharp rise in cases of asthma, bronchitis, COPD, and even lung cancer,” said Dr. Abdul Aziz, head of the ENT Department at Government Hospital Pabbi, Nowshera.
“Most of our patients with respiratory distress come from urban Peshawar,” he added, highlighting the invisible burden of disease linked to air quality.
Globally, air pollution causes about seven million deaths each year, with COPD alone responsible for over 3.2 million.
In Pakistan, COPD-related mortality stands at 138.2 deaths per 100,000 men and 41.3 per 100,000 women a sobering statistic that hits home for many Peshawar families.
For Jamila Bibi, pollution is not just a statistic but it’s a personal tragedy.
“Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) deprived me of my loving mother,” she said, her voice breaking. “My mama, Hussan Zadgai, struggled with breathlessness and coughing before she passed away at Lady Reading Hospital.”
Jamila now demands that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi take urgent steps to relocate brick kilns and marble factories from Peshawar’s residential zones.
“I only want one thing clean air for our children. This pollution is a silent killer,” she said.
Standing on the Pir Zakori Sharif bridge, one can see thick black smoke curling up from hundreds of vehicles and factories.
The bulldozing of green belts to make way for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has further reduced the city’s natural filters.
Traffic congestion and unregulated construction have compounded the problem, turning Peshawar’s once-green image into a haze of grey.
Experts warned that the environmental challenges is not limited to air. Rivers such as the Kabul and Swat are increasingly polluted by untreated industrial discharge, sewage, and plastic waste threatening aquatic life and human health alike.
“Plastic dumping in rivers is killing biodiversity, including Mahseer and trout,” said Dr. Rehman. “This is an environmental emergency and KP CM may take notice of it.”
Despite the grim scenario, authorities insist that efforts are underway to combat air pollution.
Musawar Khan, former Adviser to the Chief Minister on Environment and Forests, said the government is implementing the National Clean Air Plan (NCAP), focusing on urban forestry, waste management, and clean energy initiatives.
“The Ghari Chandan forest, with 3.2 million plants, was established on Peshawar’s outskirts to improve air quality,” he said. Other steps include promoting LPG and biofuels, establishing vehicle tune-up stations, and forming environmental squads within the traffic police.
Hospitals are also being made accountable. Lady Reading Hospital, which generates over 221,000 kilograms of waste annually, now operates its own central incinerator. Similar facilities have been installed at Hayatabad Medical Complex and Khyber Teaching Hospital.
In a promising move, the city recently installed its first IoT-based Air Quality Monitoring System at the District Government Office to collect real-time pollution data.
Crackdowns have been launched against non-compliant factories, and a ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags is being enforced across major cities.
Experts emphasize that urban pollution is not merely an environmental issue rather it’s a direct threat to human survival.
Without collective action from both the government and citizens, they warned that the health and future of generations in KP, especially in Peshawar, remain in grave danger.
As Jamila Bibi watches her children walk to school each morning through the smoggy air, her plea echoes the sentiment of thousands of Peshawarties that “give us clean air before it’s too late.”