Maryam Nawaz urges India and Pakistan to work together to combat smog. Policymakers are dubious.
India and Pakistan to work together: The Pakistan Air Quality Initiative’s co-director, Dawar Hameed Butt, told The Awadh Times Global News that since crop burning stops by the second week of November, it’s too late for smog diplomacy at this time.
The Awadh Times News: New Delhi: Maryam Nawaz, the chief minister of Punjab, Pakistan, has made an unusual proposition to India: “smog diplomacy.” Both countries’ major cities, including Lahore and New Delhi, are among the most polluted in the world due to their heavy pollution. But according to policy experts, that may be too late.
At a recent Diwali celebration in Lahore, Nawaz emphasized the importance of working together: “This issue needs to be settled amicably with India. I’m thinking about sending the chief minister of Punjab, India, a letter. This is a humanitarian issue rather than a political one.
Raja Jahangir Anwar, the environment minister for Punjab, then told Al Jazeera that she has also indicated interest in meeting with Bhagwant Mann, the chief minister of Punjab, India, and that she may host a regional climate conference in Lahore, which could provide a forum for additional talks.
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Linked by the dangers of pollution: India and Pakistan to work together
The air quality in both Lahore and New Delhi has been concerning, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels regularly above 300 micrograms, which is higher than the permissible limit of 100 micrograms.
The second-largest city in Pakistan, Lahore, saw record-breaking air pollution levels on Saturday. The government imposed a continuous green lockdown in the city as the air quality index skyrocketed to 1,067, much above the 300 threshold, which is considered “dangerous,” according to statistics from IQAir.
Ahmad Rafay Alam, an environmental lawyer and activist in Pakistan, told The Awadh Times that politicians in India, Pakistan, and the larger North Indian area must put their constituents’ health and safety first when it comes to administration.
The magnitude of the air pollution issue is astounding to politicians. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes over nine million premature deaths annually. This enormous number isn’t dispersed equally over the globe. Alam noted that the majority of the world’s air pollution is found in Asian and African cities. “Everyone is impacted, including our parents, friends, kids, and ourselves.”
He was still dubious about this possible committment, though. Even with these positive indications, there are still major obstacles. Lack of data and inadequate recognition of the effects of pollution outside of Pakistani election cycles are among the problems.
India and Pakistan to work together: “Over the last ten or more years, Delhi and Islamabad’s relationship has lacked the vision and leadership required for such cooperation. Strong scientific evidence is necessary for effective air pollution control methods. Regretfully, we don’t yet have the trustworthy statistics required to promote significant change,” he continued.
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