P&CCD and partner organisations convened the Breathe Pakistan Conference in Lahore to address mounting air pollution concerns. The session ‘A Greener Punjab to Combat Air Pollution’ gathered senior policymakers and technical leads focused on delivering Clean Air Punjab through coordinated action.
Panelists included Ms. Silwat Saeed, Secretary, Environment Protection & Climate Change Department Punjab; Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh, Director General, Environmental Protection Agency Punjab; and Mr. Tariq Hussain, Project Director of the Strategic Planning & Implementation Unit at the Punjab Clean Air Program. Each brought operational perspectives on policy, monitoring and implementation for cleaner urban and rural environments across the province.
The Secretary outlined several initiatives anchoring the Clean Air Punjab agenda, including the Air Quality Index Forecast System and an AI-powered AQI Chatbot designed to give citizens timely, localised air quality information. Emphasis was placed on citizen awareness and interactive communication under the #Im4Climate campaign, alongside the EPA’s strengthened on-ground enforcement actions to curb emissions and promote cleaner practices in industry, transport and agriculture.
The panel stressed that achieving a Greener, Healthier and Climate-Resilient Punjab will require technology, enforcement and public engagement working in tandem. Participants highlighted that expanded AQI services, AI tools and community outreach under the Clean Air Punjab framework can accelerate improvements in public health and local air quality when backed by sustained implementation.
