Air Pollution in Rural Pakistan: A Silent Threat to Health and Livelihoods

ISLAMABAD, Sept 18 (Alliance News): Air pollution is not limited to cities—it is quietly devastating rural Pakistan as well.

Traditional cooking methods, waste burning, and harmful agricultural practices are all contributing to a crisis that threatens both health and the environment in the countryside.

Pollution from biomass fuels like wood and crop residue emits toxic gases, leading to respiratory and heart diseases, especially among vulnerable groups like women, children, and the elderly.

Experts like Dr. Hammad Aslam have highlighted the severe health impacts, including risks to pregnant women and the elderly.

Beyond health, pollution-driven environmental degradation, deforestation, and climate change are undermining rural livelihoods by lowering crop yields and increasing healthcare costs. Experts, such as Dr Nazir Ahmed, call for sustainable practices like improved cookstoves, waste management reforms, and reduced crop burning to mitigate these issues.