Pakistan will target a 38% air pollution reduction by 2030, the climate ministry said this week. The government also plans to set up a national clean-air secretariat. The move turns a three-year-old clean-air policy into a time-bound plan. Officials want clear deadlines, responsibilities, and funding for cutting toxic air.
Why the target matters
Pakistan faces some of the world’s worst air pollution. Punjab province suffers the most, especially during winter smog. The World Bank calls air pollution a chronic health threat in Punjab. South Asia holds nine of the world’s 10 most polluted cities.
The health effects are severe. Fine particles known as PM2.5 are small enough to enter the lungs and bloodstream. This exposure raises the risk of heart and lung disease. Pakistan’s crowded cities breathe hazardous air, mainly during the smog season.
A policy with clear numbers
Pakistan adopted its first National Clean Air Policy in 2023. The plan targets pollution from transport, industry, agriculture, waste, and households. The policy sets a 38% air pollution reduction in PM2.5 by 2030. It aims for an 81% cut by 2040, measured against the baseline. Punjab has already launched a $300 million clean-air program. The World Bank backs the effort to cut emissions around Lahore.
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New plan and new institution
The government is now building a detailed implementation plan. It will set priorities, timelines, responsibilities, and financing needs. Officials are considering a National Clean Air Secretariat inside the climate ministry. This body would coordinate work between the federal government and provinces.
Coordination is critical. Pollution control is mostly a provincial job under Pakistan’s constitution. “Time is running out,” Climate Change Minister Musadik Masood Malik said. He called air quality “a primary indicator of human survival and dignity.”
Measures under review
The policy proposes several concrete steps to reach the 38% air pollution reduction. These measures include:
- Introducing Euro-5 and Euro-6 fuel standards.
- Enforcing industrial emission limits.
- Preventing open burning of municipal and farm waste.
- Promoting cleaner cooking technologies.
The Asian Development Bank is reviewing the policy with the ministry. It wants to find gaps and build a legally enforceable framework.
Pakistan has faced harsh heatwaves, droughts, and floods in recent years. The 2025 monsoon floods affected 6.9 million people, according to UN data.
Climate disasters have caused billions in damage over two decades. Cleaner air is now one part of the country’s wider response.