Daily Times

The average life expectancy of Pakistanis has shortened by two years owing to the excessive particulate matters pollution, thanks to the authorities concerned.

This devastating situation of the city has been revealed in new study of Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), recently produced by US based Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) regarding the air quality of Pakistan.

On the account of excessive air pollution, report states that long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution is shortening the average Pakistani’s life expectancy by more than two years as compare to what to what it would be if the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines were met.

In last few years, experts and other concerned organizations have been highlighting this very issue of excessive concentration of particulate matters in country’s environment over the account of increasing airborne diseases among citizens.

Particulate matters air pollution is widely believed to be the most deadly form of air pollution. Its microscopic particles penetrate deep into the lungs and filter into the bloodstream.

The AQLI finds that in 2016, 98 percent of Pakistan’s more than 200 million people lived in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeded the WHO guideline. It further reads that 97 percent people lived in areas where it exceeded Pakistan’s own air quality standard.

The situation in Lahore and Faisalabad stands at verge of devastation where life expectancy has been shortened by 5.3 and 4.8 years respectively. “In Lahore and Faisalabad, air pollution topped up to double during 1998 to 2016 due to growth in industry and vehicle emissions along with crop burning,” it states.

Besides Lahore and Faisalabad, report stated the AQLI of 50 most populous cities if the country including; Karachi, Hyderabad, Islamabad/ Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Sialkot, Bahwalpur, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Sheikhupura, Okara, Kasur, Gujrat and others. Among these cities, as compare to WHO guidelines Kasur and Sheikhupura are among the top cities regarding poor air quality where life expectancy has been shortened to five years. Likewise in Okara life expectancy shortened by 4.8 years, Gujranwala 4.7, Sialkot 4.6, Sahiwal 4.4, Gujrat 4.1 while in Sargodha this is 3.9 years.

According to the author of the study, Michael Greenstone, “As countries navigate the dual challenges of sustaining economic growth and protecting the environment and public health, the AQLI shows not only the damage caused by pollution but also the enormous gains that can be made with policies to address it.”

However he suggested that the life expectancy may be gained by adopting preemptive measures. “If the country achieved sustained improvements in air quality comparable to what China has achieved in recent years, its residents would live 1.2 years longer on average. Those in Lahore would live 1.9 years longer.” He continued that if Pakistan’s government was successful in following through on their recent plans to reduce air pollution, the reward will be longer and healthier lives for Pakistanis.

Moreover, the AQLI’s insights make clear that air pollution is the greatest threat to human health on the planet, , with its effect on life expectancy exceeding that of devastating communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, behavioral killers like cigarette smoking, and even war. However, the benefits of successful regulations are enormous. For example, China has made tremendous progress since declaring a “war against pollution” in 2014, with cities cutting particulate pollution by 32 percent on average—improving life expectancy by 2.3 years if the reductions persist. If Pakistan were to achieve the same percentage reduction in particulates that China experienced, its residents could live 1.2 years longer on average.

Published in Daily Times, March 6^th 2019.