Islamabad, April 14, 2026 — Policy experts, environmentalists and development practitioners proposed a set of practical measures to tackle crop residue burning and black carbon emissions in Punjab, calling for stronger institutional coordination, farmer incentives and expanded monitoring to deliver effective smog solutions.
Malik Amin Aslam, environmentalist and former Minister of State for Climate Change, said Pakistan already has adequate research identifying pollution sources and mitigation options but struggles with on-the-ground implementation. He urged firmer enforcement of clean-air policies and recommended studying regional successes such as coordinated interventions in Beijing and Delhi to reduce smog through joint action.
Zainab Naeem of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute highlighted the potential of circular economy approaches that link farmers with small and medium enterprises to turn crop residue into a valuable input. She emphasised market-based mechanisms that allow farmers to sell residues instead of burning them and noted that biomass-based energy projects can create income while cutting particulate pollution.
Mohsin Rose from the World Bank Pakistan recommended integrated cross-sectoral coordination and digital data-sharing between public institutions and private stakeholders. He said short-, medium- and long-term strategies supported by research-driven planning are essential to ensure targeted interventions and to scale up solutions that reduce emissions.
Dr Ambreen Latif of the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department Punjab pointed to recent institutional steps, including approval of provincial climate plans and the roll-out of data dashboards designed to improve transparency and interdepartmental coordination. She stressed the need to pair these systems with on-the-ground incentives for farmers and programmes that provide access to alternative uses for residues.
Abid Omar of the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative urged expansion of real-time air-quality monitoring by integrating satellite, remote sensing and ground-based networks. He argued that improved forecasting and early warning tools would enable more localised responses such as selective school closures and district-specific mitigation rather than blunt, province-wide measures.
Dr Umar Maqsood at FAO Pakistan emphasised collaboration with farmers through sustainable agriculture initiatives, field demonstration projects and improved access to machinery via government-supported service delivery. Experts also recommended developing standardised national reporting systems and crop suitability maps to inform policy and investment decisions at district level.
Speakers agreed that delivering practical smog solutions in Punjab requires aligned institutional action, farmer-centred incentives, private-sector engagement and regional cooperation. They called for integrating black carbon into national climate planning, strengthening market linkages for residues and expanding monitoring and data-sharing systems to ensure policies translate into measurable air-quality improvements.
© 2026 SDPI. All Rights Reserved Design & Developed by NKMIS WEB Unit
