Tag: Maryam Nawaz on smog

  • Bilawal Bhutto under fire for ‘downplaying’ smog

    Bilawal Bhutto under fire for ‘downplaying’ smog

    The Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party is currently under criticism after making insensitive remarks amidst the stifling smog engulfing the upper regions of Pakistan, particularly in Punjab and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    In a post on X (formerly Twitter), which was later shared on Instagram by the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari shared a chart showing the air quality index (AQI) readings of Pakistan’s major cities on November 10 at 9 p.m. Peshawar topped the list with an AQI of 591, followed by Multan (573) and Lahore (479). He captioned it, “Dear Pakistan, move to Karachi.”

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    Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Maleeka Bokhari shared an image of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz strolling in London and a screenshot of Bilawal’s post with the caption, “These two images highlight the level of two so-called leaders, both competing for the PM slot. Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto are both symbols of nepotism and dynastic politics, receiving on-the-job training to govern 240 million people. One of them needs a Climate change Minister as her PA to carry her bag. The other one finds the state of Pakistan’s toxic air quality funny.”

    Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Chief Secretary Zahid Akhter Zaman are currently in London, and their absence from the country was called out by Lahore High Court Justice Shahid Kareem during a November 11 hearing on the smog situation in Lahore. He remarked, “All those responsible are outside the city.”

    CM Maryam Nawaz can be seen wearing a fur coat and branded shades as she addresses the media, saying that the issue of smog cannot be fixed “overnight”. She further asserted that “we are doing what we can to control this in our capacity.”

    Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also joined the ongoing discourse on smog, stating that crop burning was unreasonably blamed for air pollution, while vehicles are the biggest contributors.

    Khawaja shared a chart showing that total emissions from transport were 127 gigagrams, compared to just 5.97 gigagrams from stubble burning.

    Notably, the minister’s post did not mention the source of the chart or when the readings were taken. He emphasised that the chart shows the “real culprits” contributing to smog, while the public is being misled into believing that stubble burning – which has been occurring “since the time of Mohenjo Daro” – is the primary cause of the pollution.

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    In another post, Khawaja also endorsed an order by Lahore High Court Justice Shahid Kareem to close markets at 8 p.m., a measure that, according to him, “has yet to be implemented.”

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    He also pointed out that markets in Lahore remain open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., blaming traders for being “intransigent” on the issue. Additionally, he called out political leaders who were unwilling to address the problem because of “political expediency.”

    Currently, Lahore (AQI 374) ranks second in the World Air Quality Index, while Delhi (AQI 547) tops the list, with a difference of  173 points between the two cities.

  • Maryam Nawaz hints at starting smog diplomacy with India

    Maryam Nawaz hints at starting smog diplomacy with India

    Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz spoke at a Diwali ceremony earlier today, during which she hinted at writing a letter to the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab on the issue of smog.

    “We need to have diplomacy with India regarding the issue of smog in Lahore. I’m thinking of writing a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister [Bhagwant Mann] in India that this is not just a political issue, this is a humanitarian issue,” CM said while addressing the ceremony in Lahore, adding that if Pakistan makes this move, India should reciprocate.

    On a lighter note, she pointed out, “The winds don’t know there’s a border in the middle.”

    “Until both Punjabs come together, we won’t be able to tackle the issue of smog,” she asserted.

    CM Maryam Nawaz also congratulated the Hindu community on the festival of Diwali and paid tribute to the services of the minorities in the country.

    She pledged that she would “stand by the minorities if someone tried to hurt them.

    “Minorities are the crown of our head; their protection and respect is the responsibility of the government. We are all Pakistanis without any discrimination,” she said.

    Chief Minister also announced a gift of 15 thousand rupees to 1400 Hindu families on Diwali and that the funds for minorities have been doubled.

    She further announced the launch of the Minority Card by December 20, according to which the minorities will get ten and a half thousand rupees in three months.

    “All minority members across Punjab, especially poverty-stricken minorities who don’t have a lot of resources, will receive Rs10,500 through the Minority Card,” she said.

    CM Maryam Nawaz also addressed the incidents of extremism in the country, stating, “In the recent past, there have been incidents with minorities that have made my head hang in shame, and it has caused me great pain to see trivial misunderstandings become full-blown fights.

    “Because there are few minorities, it is our responsibility to provide a safe Pakistan, a safe Punjab for them so that they can stay in their houses safely, without any fear of danger, and that they feel that this is their country and they have every right to be here,” she stressed.

    Lahore and Delhi are again in tight competition to lead the list of most polluted cities in the world this year. Lahore reached as high as 708 points on the Air Quality Index.

    Today, IQAir recorded Delhi holding a top rank with 196 points, while Lahore lagged six points behind it.