Environmental policies and interventions in Pakistan, especially on issues of critical importance such as air pollution, will continue to face challenges if the connection between policymakers, scientific experts, and industry practitioners remains weak. Climate change and air quality deterioration are long-term, transboundary issues that cannot be solved through short-term or isolated measures. Without addressing their root causes, the impacts will persist and re-emerge despite temporary improvements.
The case of Punjab’s adoption of anti-smog guns highlights this broader challenge. The initiative reflects a proactive governmental response and a willingness to test new technologies for air quality management. However, experts have raised legitimate concerns about its environmental and resource implications. While anti-smog guns can temporarily suppress visible particulate matter, they depend on significant amounts of water at a time when Lahore’s groundwater reserves are already under severe stress. According to data from the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), the city’s groundwater table is declining by two to three feet annually. Since the 1960s, this decline has exceeded 18 metres, and in some areas, the water table has fallen below 70 metres.
Environmental lawyer Altamash Saeed highlighted that a single water cannon operating for twelve hours consumes nearly 144,000 litres of water, and with fifteen cannons in operation, total usage can exceed 2.2 million litres per day. This raises critical questions about the trade-off between short-term air quality gains and long-term water sustainability. While the intervention can temporarily reduce coarse particulate matter (PM10) as observed in the Kahna area, where concentrations reportedly fell by almost 70 percent its impact remains limited. The technology does little to address the finer and more hazardous PM2.5 particles, which are far more detrimental to human health due to their ability to penetrate deep into the respiratory system.
Pakistan’s progress on air quality management depends not on rejecting past initiatives but on evolving them through collaboration, evidence, and inclusivity
Still, the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has emphasised that these guns are only one part of a broader strategy guided by real-time data. Sajid Bashir, the EPA’s spokesperson, stated that sixteen air quality monitors installed across Lahore help identify areas with rising pollution levels, allowing for more targeted deployment. Such outcomes demonstrate that while targeted technological interventions can help manage localised smog episodes, they must be complemented by structural reforms that regulate emissions from vehicles, agricultural residue burning, and brick kilns.
Some areas of Lahore have recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) values exceeding 1,000, far above the World Health Organization’s safe limit. This underscores both the severity of the challenge and the need for integrated, science-based solutions. The expansion of air quality monitoring networks, including those previously established through JICA’s collaboration, was a step in the right direction. Yet, the next step must focus on embedding scientific, industrial, and academic expertise directly into policy design to ensure that interventions are both technically viable and environmentally sustainable.
Professionals working on environmental issues bring valuable ground-level knowledge that can shape practical, evidence-based policies. Strengthening dialogue between practitioners and policymakers will allow Pakistan to move beyond short-term responses and design long-term strategies for urban resilience and cleaner air. This also ensures more effective utilisation of climate finance, directing resources towards projects that offer both environmental and social dividends.
Raising public awareness remains essential, but awareness alone cannot bring change unless paired with viable alternatives. When practices such as stubble burning are identified as major contributors to smog, farmers should be provided with affordable and accessible alternatives—such as crop residue management equipment, composting training, or incentive-based programmes. Without these enabling conditions, expecting behavioural shifts is unrealistic, regardless of how effective awareness campaigns may be. Moreover, such alternatives should be sustainable, not a one-time intervention.
Equally important is the coordination across ministries and sectors. Air quality, agriculture, water management, and urban planning are deeply interconnected. Policies developed in isolation are often limited in scope. Strengthening inter-departmental coordination, fostering shared accountability, and mainstreaming scientific knowledge across governance levels can make environmental management more effective and adaptive.
At the regional level, air pollution transcends national boundaries, especially in South Asia, where weather patterns carry smog and particulate matter across borders. This is an area where Pakistan and India, both heavily affected by seasonal smog, can find common ground. Collaborative research, data sharing, and coordinated interventions through platforms such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) could help both countries address shared challenges more effectively. Establishing a joint air quality monitoring and response framework could turn a common environmental concern into an opportunity for regional cooperation.
In essence, Pakistan’s progress on air quality management depends not on rejecting past initiatives but on evolving them through collaboration, evidence, and inclusivity. The government’s willingness to pilot new technologies such as anti-smog guns, expand monitoring systems, and raise awareness reflects an important beginning. The next phase must build on this momentum by aligning policies with scientific expertise, ensuring stakeholder participation, and leveraging regional cooperation to pursue shared environmental goals. By bridging the gap between research, policy, and regional collaboration, Pakistan can strengthen its path towards sustainable, scalable, and resilient environmental solutions.