Pakistan’s air pollution crisis is draining the nation’s economy and threatening millions of lives, Senator Sherry Rehman warned during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change on Thursday.

The senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader revealed that toxic air is now costing the country a staggering $22 billion every year—an amount equal to 6.5% of Pakistan’s GDP.

Ms. Rehman said the scale of the crisis is far worse than earlier believed. “Previous reports estimated 128,000 pollution-related deaths annually, but new data shows the number has doubled to 256,000 deaths every year,” she shared, calling the situation alarming and deeply tragic.

She explained that while fog naturally forms in winter, the hazardous smog blanketing major cities is a dangerous chemical cocktail created by emissions from industries, brick kilns, and vehicles. “Pollution is now claiming more lives than terrorism,” she remarked, urging the state to treat the issue as a national emergency.

Lahore still among world’s most polluted cities

Ms. Rehman expressed concern over Lahore’s constant presence on global air quality danger lists. She said Pakistan was ranked the third most polluted country last year, while Lahore repeatedly topped rankings as the most polluted city in the world.

The senator warned that the smog’s impact is “apocalyptic,” reducing the average Pakistani’s life expectancy by 3.7 to 4.6 years. She also noted that smog has put 11 million children under the age of five at severe risk, especially because young children breathe twice as fast as adults.

Committee rejects EPA’s incomplete report

During the meeting, the committee expressed frustration over the lack of reliable pollution data provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The chair rejected the presentation, criticizing the Ministry of Climate Change for arriving with incomplete and unverified figures.

“You were given three months, yet you came unprepared,” the senator said, demanding accountability and seriousness from relevant officials.

Brick kilns and the push for cleaner technology

Ms. Rehman also clarified that the government had previously chosen not to close brick kilns because they are largely operated by low-income workers. Instead, the plan was to transition them to zigzag technology, a cleaner and more efficient method that reduces toxic emissions.

Urging swift action, Rehman stressed the importance of public-private partnerships to expand air quality monitoring systems across the country. She said only coordinated, nationwide efforts can help Pakistan escape its worsening air pollution crisis.