New research centre to investigate major sources of air pollution across Punjab

A new research initiative has been launched to investigate the main sources of air pollution across Punjab and generate scientific evidence to support more effective pollution-control policies.

The Centre for Air Pollution and Environment (CAPE) will conduct a multi-year study at multiple locations across the province to identify and measure the major contributors to particulate air pollution. The project also includes the establishment of a laboratory for the chemical analysis of air pollutants and is being supported by a grant from Coefficient Giving.

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Dr Qasim Imtiaz, a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, has been appointed the centre’s founding director. The research team also includes Dr Farah Said, Dr Shahana Khurshid and Dr Walther Schwarzacher.

The centre’s launch brought together researchers, government officials, air-quality organisations and development partners to discuss Punjab’s pollution crisis and identify gaps in the scientific evidence needed to address it.

During the opening session, Provost Dr Tariq Mahmood Jadoon highlighted the importance of scientific research in understanding air pollution, while Dr Walther Schwarzacher discussed the establishment of the centre within the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering.

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Explaining the research agenda, Dr Qasim Imtiaz said systematic measurements were essential to determine which sources contribute to particulate pollution and the extent of their impact. He added that the findings would be used to support targeted interventions in collaboration with government institutions, researchers and local communities.

The research programme will investigate pollution sources and their effects, examine indoor air quality in schools, and strengthen the connection between scientific findings and public policy. Researchers will analyse the chemical composition of particulate matter collected from different locations across Punjab to estimate the contribution of individual pollution sources.

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Representatives of the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department, the Urban Unit and the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative also presented their ongoing work on smog reduction, air-quality monitoring, emissions inventories, action plans and public participation in pollution monitoring.

Discussions focused on existing monitoring systems and available data, as well as the need for further research to establish the scale of pollution and identify effective solutions. The session was moderated by Dr Shahana Khurshid, while Osman Khalid Waheed presented shields to the speakers at the conclusion.

A separate panel discussion, moderated by Dr Farah Said, brought together government officials and an academic to examine Punjab’s air-quality challenges and determine research priorities that could help evaluate pollution-control policies.

Participants included representatives of the provincial transport, safe cities and higher education departments, alongside Dr Muhammad Zaman, a professor at Quaid-i-Azam University. The discussion covered vehicle-emissions testing, the use of Safe City systems to identify environmental violations, and the need for reliable data to assess the effectiveness of pollution-control measures.

The speakers emphasised that stronger coordination between government departments, researchers and other stakeholders would be essential to developing evidence-based policies and improving air quality.

The proceedings concluded with remarks by Rector Shahid Hussain, who thanked the speakers, participants and partners.

Air pollution remains a significant public-health concern in Pakistan. Estimates suggest that bringing ambient pollution levels in line with international health guidelines could increase average life expectancy by approximately 2.6 years in Karachi, 4.6 years in Islamabad and 5.3 years in Lahore, highlighting the potential health benefits of effective air-quality management.

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