The World Bank has stated that overlapping mandates and responsibilities between Pakistan’s environmental and industrial ministries are hindering policy coordination, resulting in delays in the country’s transition toward low-pollution green technologies.
According to sources citing a World Bank report, these institutional weaknesses are making efforts to tackle air pollution ineffective. The report, titled “A Breath of Change: Solutions for Clean Air in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills,” notes that Pakistan’s system for monitoring and inspecting industrial emissions exists at a basic level but is neither comprehensive nor fully effective.
The report says that Pakistan and Bangladesh could adopt a combination of refinery upgrades and fuel imports to ensure the supply of Euro-5 and Euro-6 standard fuels. It further highlights that the adoption of clean brick kilns, boilers, furnaces, and power generation systems in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and Pakistan requires an enabling environment that addresses financial, technical, and institutional barriers.
Air pollution has now become the leading cause of death in South Asia, surpassing factors such as smoking, unhealthy diets, and high blood pressure. The report states that air pollution causes 190 deaths per 100,000 people in South Asia, compared to the global average of 92 deaths per 100,000.
Countries affected by air pollution are also experiencing a significant decline in average life expectancy. In the Indo-Gangetic region, air pollution is reducing life expectancy by nearly three years, compared to the global average of 1.8 years. Nepal records the highest reduction at 3.05 years, followed by Bangladesh at 2.91 years and Pakistan at 2.83 years.
The report reveals that in Pakistan, 95% of students are forced to breathe dangerously polluted air, affecting approximately 22.4 million students. In the transport sector, trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, and auto-rickshaws are major contributors to pollution. Outdated Euro-2 emission standards, high-sulfur fuels, aging vehicles, and limited electric vehicle charging infrastructure are further exacerbating the problem.
The World Bank has emphasized that integrated policies, strong financial incentives, and institutional reforms are essential to promote clean technologies; otherwise, the air pollution crisis in Pakistan could worsen further.
