Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is grappling with worsening urban pollution, with Peshawar consistently recording hazardous air quality and a notable rise in pollution-related health problems across the province.
Research from the University of Peshawar and local health departments indicates a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses. The city’s air pollution, mainly driven by unchecked transport emissions, remains significantly above safe limits. PM2.5 levels in Peshawar are nearly four times higher than Pakistan’s National Environmental Quality Standards and far exceed the World Health Organization’s 25 µg/m³ threshold.
Transport accounts for 58.5% of the city’s air pollution, followed by roadside dust (17.7%), domestic burning (11.7%), industrial emissions (6.6%), waste burning (4.1%), and commercial burning (1.4%).
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Between June 2023 and June 2024, air- and waterborne illnesses saw a clear uptick. According to Lady Reading Hospital, more than 221,000 kilograms of medical waste were generated in one year. In response, incinerators have been installed at major hospitals including Hayatabad Medical Complex and Shaukat Khanum Memorial.
Water pollution is also increasing, with industrial runoff and sewage contaminating the Kabul and Swat rivers, threatening aquatic species and agricultural health.
KP’s environmental response includes planting over 3.2 million trees under the Ghari Chandan initiative, enforcing a plastic bag ban in key districts, and installing an IoT-based air monitoring system in Peshawar.