Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, while addressing the Climate Change and Green Mobility Summit at UMT Lahore, said that Punjab has made exceptional progress this year in smog control, clean air management, and green technology. She stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, timely compensation was provided to flood-affected families, and for the first time, smog and AQI monitoring have been shifted entirely to a scientific system. Pakistan’s first modern AQI monitoring and forecast system has been established in Punjab, operating 24/7 to provide real-time data and alerts to citizens. All 41 monitoring stations in the province are geotagged and GIS-mapped, while the Smog War Room and Green Building Model are fully functional in Lahore.
She said that citizens are no longer just critics; they are now partnering with the government to control smog. To combat smog formed by the combination of fog and smoke, multi-sectoral, technology-driven and data-based measures are being implemented. For the first time, a comprehensive vehicle fitness and certification regime has been introduced in the transport sector. Strict checking of old vehicles is underway, and thousands of vehicles have already been certified under the vehicle testing policy. New e-bikes and e-rickshaws have been introduced, and it is now mandatory to establish a charging station at every new petrol pump. Currently, 666 vehicles are active in smog control operations, and this number will soon increase to 1,100.
Maryam Aurangzeb said that despite eastern winds blowing in from the Indian border, strong control over local emissions led to significant improvement in AQI this year. She noted that no brick kiln in Punjab is now “off-map”; all kilns have shifted to modern zig-zag technology with white smoke ensured, and all illegal pyrolysis units have been completely shut down. Zero-tolerance continues for industries, kilns, and factories, and in Faisalabad, an EPA officer was caught taking a bribe and immediately suspended with action initiated under the PEEDA Act.
She said that crop-burning incidents decreased by 65% this year due to the government’s efforts to provide super seeders to farmers at a 60% subsidy. With SUPARCO’s support, drone surveillance, quick-response squads, and field monitoring remain active round the clock, and every kiln and factory chimney is continuously tracked. In Lahore, 15 smog guns remain operational, and a short smog-gun operation in Kahna showed a significant drop in AQI within minutes.
She added that the garbage mounds at Mehmood Booti have been transformed into a green park under the Waste-to-Green model, while 300,000 kilograms of plastic have been seized under the “Plastic-Free Punjab” campaign and are now being converted into recycled furniture. Urban forestry has been carried out on 2,500 acres, and plantation continues along canals, railway lines, and major roads. A dedicated AQI and Smog Management App has also been launched so every citizen can access real-time air quality, alerts, and precautionary guidelines.
She said this is the first year that Punjab did not experience hazardous-level smog. Twenty-four days remained clean, smog-related hospital cases dropped by 50%, schools and businesses stayed open, and the motorway did not close even for a single day – a success made possible by joint efforts of the state and the public.
Maryam Aurangzeb further said that young people are bringing technological innovations for the country; UET has developed its own smog gun, which is a commendable achievement. Green mobility and beautification projects across Lahore’s 66 tourism sites are progressing rapidly. She said that the federal initiative to include the Clean Air Right in the Constitution is a historic milestone for environmental protection, and “Suthra Punjab” has now become a behavioral shift witnessed in both urban and rural communities.
She said that solar power projects are advancing swiftly across the province, government buildings are being solarized, and solar panels are being provided to the public. The Green Carbon Credit Program, Internship Program, and Smog Mitigation Program have also been launched.
In conclusion, the Senior Provincial Minister said that while government ensures policy, enforcement, and action, real change comes from citizens’ behavior. Smog is now monitored scientifically throughout the year, not just in November, and Punjab has proven that collective action can indeed reduce pollution.