ISLAMABAD  -  The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters As­sociation (PRGMEA) has called for adopting cleaner technologies to reduce the impact of smog, as the government, businesses, academia and donors should invest in newer technologies to cut the reliance on fossil fuels with a view to control the smog in the country.

The PRGMEA North Zone Chair­man Dr Ayyaz ud Din warned that smog in Pakistan is a critical issue that affects not only the environ­ment but also public health. The country can no longer afford to ignore the growing air pollution problem. Learning from successful international examples, implement­ing stricter regulations, and adopt­ing cleaner technologies can signifi­cantly reduce the impact of smog. The key to tackling this crisis lies in multi-sectoral collaboration, strict­er enforcement of environmental policies, and widespread public awareness. It is time for Pakistan to take action for the well-being of its citizens and the health of the planet.

He said that addressing the air pollution in Pakistan will require urgent action, we need to learn from the countries who have successfully implemented air pollution espe­cially smog control measures. We can implement stricter regulations on vehicle emissions, especially for high-polluting diesel engines. We can follow odd even number plate policy like China, or shift to Euro 6 standards for emissions that im­pose significantly stricter limits on NOx, PM, CO, and hydrocarbons, es­pecially from diesel vehicles, which are a major source of smog. They mandate up to 96 percent fewer NOx emissions than Euro 2, greatly reducing pollutants that contribute to smog formation.

Charges like central congestion charge are also impactful when it comes to reducing smog issue, es­pecially in a city like Lahore where there are a lot of vehicles, he added. PRGMEA North Zone chairman said that investing in renewable energy sources will reduce industrial reli­ance on fossil fuels is another ma­jor option – industrialisation won’t stop, but we must act to make the growth sustainable.

Dr Ayyaz ud Din said that launch­ing government-supported pro­grammes to assist farmers in managing crop residues without burning, possibly by incentivising alternative practices like compost­ing. There are still stubbles being burned even after stricter regula­tions against them. We need strict­er regulations, and trans-boundary collaboration as this issue isn’t just influenced by what’s within the borders of Pakistan.

Lastly, there’s a need for research and development, which cannot be possible without the support of the government, academia, donor agen­cies, and businesses. These four major stakeholders come together to invest in newer and cleaner tech­nologies and influence policy shift. It is to be noted that every winter, Pakistan is smothered by a blanket of smog – a dangerous mix of smoke and fog, significantly impacting vis­ibility and public health.