According to a survey by the global analytics firm Ipsos, smog is causing health problems for about seven out of ten people in the nation. The most prevalent symptoms include cough, flu, and breathing difficulties.
Last month, Punjab’s severe smog issue was deemed a “calamity.” Pakistan has consistently scored more than 1,000 on the worldwide Air Quality Index Scale, which defines an index value of 300 or higher as “hazardous” to health.
In a single month, while Punjab was engulfed in record-breaking smog, nearly two million people sought treatment at hospitals throughout the province for respiratory ailments.
Using computer-assisted telephone interviews, a sample of 1,000 people from all four provinces and Islamabad participated in the November 26 Ipsos survey, “Smog in Pakistan: Awareness, Perceptions and Practices.”
According to statistics from its first portion on people’s awareness and experiences with smog, eight out of ten persons, or roughly 79% of the sample size, reported having experienced smog in the previous month, with 100% of the sample in Lahore reporting having done so.
Additionally, research showed that 68 percent of respondents said they had health problems connected to smog, with 71 percent in cities and 67 percent in rural regions.
According to the survey, “more than one-third of Pakistanis found that smog affected their daily household activities, work life, and social events.” This further emphasizes how smog affects day-to-day living.
It added that Lahore and Rawalpindi were the most severely impacted provinces, with Punjab being the most severely afflicted.
When asked what they believed to be the main source of smog, 70% of respondents cited vehicle emissions, 63% cited industrial smoke, and 37% cited garbage burning, according to the second part on people’s opinions and perceptions. Approximately 31% selected brick kilns, 30% selected crop burning, and 5% thought it was the “wrath of God.”
According to the data, 37% of respondents said that the implementation of the law was a barrier to reducing air pollution and smog, while 44% of respondents identified a lack of public collaboration.
According to the statistics in the final section on actions and behaviors, eight out of ten respondents felt that everyone had a responsibility to contribute to the fight against pollution. Additionally, it stated that Pakistanis who were older, men, and had higher levels of education were more likely to comply, suggesting that individuals with greater knowledge were more likely to assume accountability.
48 percent of respondents stated they were prepared to convert to walking, 31 percent selected public transportation, 29 percent selected bicycles, and 10 percent selected new or hybrid electric vehicles when asked to select personal measures to reduce smog.
“Nine out of 10 Pakistanis are ready to cooperate if they were asked to repair their vehicles and get certification from the government — a clear sign for the government to play its part in this regard,” according to the report, which surveyed 796 vehicle owners.
Three out of five respondents expressed satisfaction with the ways their province government was combating smog, according to the survey. However, it was discovered that contentment declined with increasing educational attainment, raising questions about the applicability, importance, and efficacy of the government’s smog-reduction initiatives.
