Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province Maryam Nawaz has called for “climate diplomacy” with India to mitigate the impact of smog in both the countries.

Punjab province in Pakistan and Punjab state along with many other areas in northwest India face massive air pollution during smog months from October to February every year. Lahore and New Delhi regularly feature in the list of most polluted cities in the world during this season when farmers resort to burning crop residue ahead of preparation for the winter crop.

“Both Indian and Pakistani Punjab should undertake joint efforts to combat smog. Stubble burning in Indian Punjab is impacting here because of air direction. There should be a climate diplomacy with India to address the smog issue,” Maryam said on Wednesday at the climate change leadership internship programme.

Smog – the moniker for combination of smoke and fog – is a specific phenomenon that occurs when certain polluting microparticles mix with cold, moist air and hang close to the ground, reducing visibility and causing health issues.

Maryam said that every home, every child, must understand the importance of ending smog. “Ending smog is a matter of our children's health and survival,” she said and added that smog cannot be eliminated by just pressing a button, “it requires collective efforts.” Earlier last year, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had said that the Pakistani government would take up the stubble burning matter with Indian Punjab.

“The issue of smog should be taken up at a proper diplomatic level with India by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Naqvi had said then.

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