Pakistan deploys 750 officers to tackle stubble burning as smog worsens

Pakistani authorities have deployed 750 officers in 67 rapid-response units across Punjab to tackle illegal stubble burning blamed for worsening seasonal air pollution as smog once again blankets Lahore and other parts of the region.

The teams are tasked with reaching reported field fires within 10 to 15 minutes and extinguishing them before smoke adds to the region's hazardous winter haze.

On Thursday, members of a newly formed unit responded to a fire in a paddy field on the outskirts of Lahore, bringing it under control within minutes.

Farmers commonly burn leftover rice residue after the October harvest to clear their fields for the next crop. The practice contributes to a toxic mix of pollution from industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust and construction dust, which becomes trapped under cold winter air.

According to Punjab's Environment Protection and Climate Change Department, the government has established 67 rapid-response units with a combined strength of 750 officers across major rice-growing districts.

Silwat Saeed, head of the department, said the teams patrol agricultural areas and respond to complaints from local residents. Deputy Director Ashfaq Hussain said reports were received through multiple channels and addressed as quickly as possible.

In one 24-hour period this week, the department received 679 reports of field fires across Punjab and said it had extinguished 650 of them.

Farmers caught burning crop residue face fines of 15,000 Pakistani rupees ($54) per acre, said Muhammad Farooq, an assistant director of the Punjab Agriculture Department. Those who fail to pay may face prosecution and imprisonment for up to six months.

Authorities are also encouraging farmers to adopt alternatives. The government has distributed more than 10,000 subsidised super seeders, covering 60 per cent of their cost while farmers pay the remaining 40 per cent.

Muhammad Ismail, a farmer who owns 50 acres, said switching to a subsidised super seeder and other machinery had significantly increased his wheat yield per acre.

However, adoption remains limited. Another farmer, Saleem Abbas, who has stopped burning crop residue, said many farmers continued to favour the practice because it was considered the cheapest and fastest way to prepare fields for the next harvest.

Despite the crackdown, residents continue to face the health effects of severe air pollution.

Patients have recently crowded hospital benches and corridors in Lahore as smog-related illnesses remain a concern.

Abdullah Nayyar, director general of the Punjab Environment Protection Department, said health department data showed that hospitalisations for smog-related throat problems last month were 69 per cent of the level recorded in October 2025.

However, patients at Lahore's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital described ongoing breathing difficulties and other health problems.

Ahmed Abubakar, a heart patient who has undergone bypass surgery and has diabetes, said smog had triggered breathing problems and eye infections.

Another patient, Mohammad Niaz Butt, complained of nasal and throat congestion, saying authorities had failed to stop the burning.

Pakistan and India have repeatedly accused each other of contributing to worsening air pollution in the region. Saeed said the challenge was significant for both countries and that Pakistan had raised the issue with Indian officials at international forums.

India's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Satellite data have detected less land burned in India and Pakistan than the historical average for this point in the year. However, many residents in Pakistan say they have yet to notice a meaningful improvement in air quality.

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