In Pakistan, severe air pollution silently impacts public health and well-being nationwide. Yet, due to a dire lack of air quality data, air quality monitors, and public awareness, the scale of the threat remains largely unseen.
In 2024, Pakistan was the third most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 73.7 μg/m3 and exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended annual guideline of 5 μg/m3 by 14.7 times. Numerous cities experienced poor air quality, with high average PM2.5 concentrations measured for Islamabad (52.4 μg/m3), Rawalpindi (65.8 μg/m3), Faisalabad (88.8 μg/m3), Peshawar (91.0 μg/m3), and Lahore (102.1 μg/m3) – all exceeding the WHO recommended guideline by ten times or more.
Recognizing the urgency of this crisis, WWF-Pakistan has taken significant steps to address air pollution using IQAir’s air quality monitoring technology. WWF-Pakistan has successfully deployed stations across Pakistan and published data to IQAir’s AirVisual platform, establishing the country’s largest air quality monitoring network. With this initiative, WWF-Pakistan is transforming how the country understands and confronts this invisible threat.
"We have successfully reached the goal of installing AirVisual Outdoor sensors in 15 of our offices across Pakistan," said WWF-Pakistan’s Research Officer, Muhammad Huzaifa who led this initiative in Pakistan.
As of now, WWF-Pakistan has air monitoring stations located in key regions like Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, and Peshawar. They provide real-time data that is accessible to both policymakers and the public. "We are excited to say that we’ve published the data from these stations to IQAir’s platform, where communities can see their local air quality in real-time.”
Why Pakistan Needs Reliable Air Quality Data
Pakistan's urban centers, such as Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, frequently grapple with thick layers of smog. While this is a visible reminder of air pollution, the more dangerous pollutants often remain unseen and unmonitored. One of the greatest challenges in Pakistan has been the need for more reliable, public air quality data.
"Our air quality network provides crucial air quality data in some of Pakistan’s most polluted regions and are often ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world" Huzaifa explained.
WWF-Pakistan, the nation’s largest environmental organization, has been addressing critical environmental issues since 1970. Originally focused on protecting wildlife and ecosystems, the organization’s scope has broadened to include tackling climate change, protecting vulnerable habitats, and securing vital resources like freshwater. Now, through their air quality monitoring initiative, they are addressing one of the most pressing health and environmental crises facing Pakistan.
“Unfortunately, there is little public air quality data available,” Huzaifa noted. “This information vacuum has left policymakers and citizens unprepared to tackle the pollution crisis.” WWF-Pakistan’s initiative helps fill this gap, ensuring the public has access to real-time, localized air quality data.
With real-time data now available, citizens, governments, and policymakers can work together to implement solutions, reduce pollution and improve health outcomes across the country.
Building Pakistan's National Air Quality Network
WWF-Pakistan’s initiative, which involves installing air quality sensors in key cities across the country, marks a critical step in Pakistan’s battle against air pollution. By coordinating 15 monitoring stations under one national initiative, WWF-Pakistan now operates the country’s largest organized air quality monitoring network, making real-time data accessible to both citizens and policymakers.
Partnering with IQAir adds both credibility and precision to the project. "IQAir's AirVisual air quality monitors are globally recognized for their accuracy and ability to track even the smallest fluctuations in air quality," said Huzaifa. "IQAir's technology is built to withstand all sorts of weather and having it in place ensures that people will trust the data." This transparency is essential for mobilizing both community efforts and policy interventions, as reliable information is crucial to driving meaningful change.
Using Air Quality Data to Combat Pollution in Pakistan
With the sensors online and data flowing into the IQAir platform, WWF-Pakistan's live contributor profile showcases the impact of their work, allowing anyone to monitor air quality in real-time. This transparency empowers citizens and policymakers alike to take informed action, using reliable data to drive meaningful change across the country. Explore WWF-Pakistan’s profile to see the live data from their monitoring stations across Pakistan.
"Data isn’t just a tool for awareness—it’s the foundation for meaningful action," Nazifa Butt, Director Climate Action and Sustainability WWF-Pakistan emphasized. “Now that we have the data, we have something to report and base our decisions on.”
Nazifa emphasized the importance of storytelling. “We’re going to have to tell two parts of the story,” she explained, pointing out how data can not only expose alarming trends but also inspire communities to push for change—through policies, advocacy, and local initiatives.
With 18,800 followers across its national network, WWF-Pakistan is sharing that data every day with citizens who urgently need real-time air quality information to help protect themselves from pollution.
Pakistan's Long-Term Pollution Solutions
WWF-Pakistan envisions a future where every region of the country has access to real-time, accurate air quality data.
"Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan," Nazifa explained. By providing access to this data, WWF-Pakistan aims to foster a culture of proactive health management, where individuals and communities can take the steps necessary to protect themselves from pollution.
The air quality data being gathered is more than just numbers—it’s a lifeline for communities struggling with the dangers of polluted air. “Our initiative is laying the foundation for a National Clean Air Research Centre," Huzaifa said. "This will be a hub for research and data-driven policies, enabling us to tackle pollution with innovative strategies."
In October 2024, WWF-Pakistan warned that Lahore’s air quality posed a terrible threat to public health, recommending a number of changes to government policy including helping farmers manage crop waste, expanding mass transit, and improving zoning laws to reduce industrial pollution away from residents.
It also noted that low-cost air quality monitoring systems could be used to uncover air pollution hotspots along traffic routes. Armed with that information, governments could restrict heavy transport vehicles or develop alternate routes to avoid congestion (1).
Beyond their air quality monitoring project, the WWF-Pakistan team oversees more than 60 active environmental protection initiatives in FY 2025 across the country, ranging from clean water access and forest preservation to sustainable infrastructure development. These efforts, working in tandem with the air quality monitoring network, are all part of WWF's broader mission to protect the planet's natural environment and create a future where both people and nature can thrive in harmony.
The Takeaway
WWF-Pakistan's initiative is a testament to the transformative power of air quality data, technology, and collective will in addressing one of today’s most pressing challenges. And by increasing the footprint of air quality monitors across the country, innovative solutions to persistent pollution problems can be put into play.
As this vital work advances, it invites everyone to contribute to the cause—because in the fight for clean air, every voice and every action matters.
“This initiative,” Nazifa said, “lays the foundation for what we envision as Pakistan’s future air quality innovation hub. It will serve as a hub for developing strategies and methods to tackle air pollution, aligning efforts across governmental and non-governmental sectors, both locally and internationally, in the fight against climate change.”
