Lahore Air Pollution 'A Silent Killer', Just Like In Delhi: Pak PM Imran Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan said Lahore’s air pollution is “a silent killer”, just like in India's capital New Delhi as he launched the Clean Green Pakistan Index in Islamabad on Monday

Lahore Air Pollution 'A Silent Killer', Just Like In Delhi: Pak PM Imran Khan/ Photo: Getty Images

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said Lahore’s air pollution is “a silent killer”, just like in India's capital New Delhi as he launched the Clean Green Pakistan Index in Islamabad on Monday. However, the cricketer-turned-politician assured that his government is fully commitment to tackle the deteriorating air quality in Pakistan. The Pakistan PM rued that Lahore's air pollution has reached the worst possible levels. "The air in Lahore is not breathable and the conditions of the city are hazardous for both old and young," he said. "We do not even know how many people have been affected by it," he remarked "We used to think that Delhi was the most polluted city" he said. Imran said "no one thought what we had to do" adding that "we have been cutting our trees and in the last 10 years over 70 per cent of Lahore's city has been deforested." "We ruined our rivers by disposing off our sewage in it," said Imran. The hazardous air quality in Delhi made headlines due to stubble burning in neighbouring states. The air quality is the national capital is so bad that Delhi is now among six most polluted cities in India. Taking a note of the critical situation, the Supreme Court of India on Monday, after a three-hour long hearing, issued notice to all states and Union Territories seeking their response in six weeks on why they should not be held accountable to pay compensation to people for not providing clean air. A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra and comprising Deepak Gupta said: "The Air Quality Index (AQI) is extremely poor in many cities and towns...we also need to know how they are managing garbage. It appears that these issues have lost priorities for the authorities." "Yamuna river has turned into sewage. River Ganga is also in the same condition. Rive water pollution is a major issue," said the court. "We have noted that every year, and year after year, the process is worsening...time has come to protect right to life. Why they (state administrations) should not pay compensation on air pollution, not lifting garbage etc. Time has come to rewind the state machinery", said Justice Mishra.