ISLAMABAD: Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday announced the provincial government had launched a 10-year smog mitigation plan, as record-high air pollution levels have triggered hundreds of hospitalizations, school closures and stay-at-home orders in several districts of the Pakistan’s most populous province.
On Friday, the provincial capital of Lahore, home to 13 million people, had the worst air quality of any city in the world, according to live readings by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.
Toxic smog has enveloped Lahore and at least 17 other districts in Punjab since last month, where health officials have been forced to close down schools and government offices, among other measures.
“For the first time, Punjab has developed a 10-year climate change policy,” Aurangzeb said while addressing a press conference in Lahore, saying Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif was “personally” monitoring the plan’s implementation.
Pakistan, like neighboring India, battles pollution each year as temperatures fall and cold air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke as farmers illegally burn paddy stubble to clear fields. Prohibited brick-kilns and smoke-emitting vehicles also contribute to the problem.
Speaking about measures taken to combat air pollution, the minister said the Punjab government had distributed super seeders to farmers, bearing 60 percent of their cost while farmers paid the remaining 40 percent. The no-till planters are designed for precision seeding which helps farmers contribute to cleaner air, improved soil health, and a more sustainable agricultural ecosystem.
“We have an aim of distributing 5,000 super seeders in Punjab by July next year,” the minister said. “We have now engaged more companies to increase production of super seeders.”
Aurangzeb also said authorities had demolished 800 brick kilns.
“We did not seal them this time because they would begin operating again from January if they were only sealed,” she added.
The minister said environmental control systems to detect smoke had been set up through loans provided by the Punjab government.
“More than 90 small and medium sized industries have installed the system using this loan,” she said, encouraging people to help with the afforestation of Lahore.
“Forest cover of Lahore should be 36 percent on international standard, it is 3 percent now,” Aurangzeb said. “Green master plan of Lahore has been made. Implementation has started. Forest cover is planned to be increased, which is a part of this plan.”
Earlier this week, the government of Punjab closed all high schools in the province until Nov. 17 due to persisting smog.
Primary schools and government offices had already been closed until Nov. 17 in many districts of Punjab earlier this month, with school closures likely to affect the education of more than 20 million students, according to associations representing private and government schools.
Authorities in 18 districts of Punjab also closed all public parks, zoos and museums, historical places, and playgrounds for ten days last week.
On Friday, a court in Lahore ordered the government to shut all markets after 8pm. Authorities have already banned barbecuing food without filters and ordered wedding halls to close by 10pm.
On Monday, the UN children’s agency said the health of 11 million children in Punjab province was in danger because of air pollution.
Pakistan’s Punjab launches 10-year smog plan amid record air pollution
https://arab.news/j4eyv
Pakistan’s Punjab launches 10-year smog plan amid record air pollution
- Government has distributed super seeders to farmers to support precision seeding
- 800 brick kilns demolished instead of being sealed which briefly happens each year
Pakistan Railways targets $3.6 billion revenue amid track expansion, service upgrades
- Government plans new railway lines and modern trains with security cameras, Wi-Fi and dining cars
- Revival of a robust railway system is seen as key as Pakistan pushes to become a regional trade hub
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has set a target of generating Rs 1 trillion ($3.6 billion) in revenue by June as the government expands railway tracks and upgrades passenger services with amenities such as Wi-Fi and modern dining cars, Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi said on Tuesday.
Pakistan Railways was once the backbone of long-distance travel and freight movement across the country, connecting major cities and ports soon after independence. However, decades of underinvestment, aging infrastructure and competition from road transport led to a steady decline in services and reliability.
As Pakistan seeks to position itself as a regional trade and transit hub, the government has renewed focus on rebuilding a robust rail network for both passengers and cargo.
“Pakistan Railways has set a target of achieving Rs 1 trillion in revenue by June 2026,” Abbasi said, according to an official statement. “Pakistan Railways will be transformed into a modern, safe and profitable organization,” he added.
The minister said work has already begun on digitization, outsourcing, construction of new railway tracks and improvement of passenger facilities.
He said the Asian Development Bank has approved a $2 billion loan for the construction of a 480-kilometer new railway track between Karachi and Rohri, a project expected to cut travel time by at least five hours.
Groundbreaking for the project is planned for July 2026, with completion expected within two and a half to three years.
Under the Reko Diq project, Abbasi said work is underway on a 900-kilometer railway track from Rohri to Nokundi, including construction of 500 kilometers of new track and upgrading of 400 kilometers of existing track.
The 87-kilometer Nokundi–Taftan line has also been included to strengthen rail connectivity with Iran.
The minister said a 54-kilometer People’s Train route is being launched in Balochistan at a cost of Rs 4 billion ($14.4 million), while eight regional routes will be developed in Punjab.
Provinces have also been offered the option to operate branch lines, with Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan allocating funds and consultations underway with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Abbasi said Pakistan is also advancing rail connectivity with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Iran and that the Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul railway service will be launched after security clearance.
Passenger services are being upgraded alongside infrastructure expansion, he continued.
“Cleanliness and improvement work at Rawalpindi Railway Station has been completed, while three prime trains have already been upgraded, and more trains will be upgraded by June 30,” the minister said. “By December 31, all major trains will be upgraded, featuring security cameras, Wi-Fi, hostesses and modern dining cars.”
He added that Wi-Fi routers have been installed at railway stations, ticket booking has been enabled through the Rabta mobile application and a 1,700-kilometer fiber-optic network is being laid.
Karachi and Lahore railway stations are being upgraded for security, while progress is underway on a Rs 8.9 billion ($32 million) digital systems agreement with the Frontier Works Organization and a $85 million project with DP World at Pipri Yard.
Abbasi said 155 railway stations have been shifted to solar energy and Pakistan Railways recently recorded its highest-ever daily revenue of Rs 300 million ($1.1 million).
The minister also said a new Lahore–Rawalpindi track, backed by provincial funding, will cut travel time between the two cities to about two and a half hours once completed.
