Pakistan Air Quality Initiative

The Pakistan Air Quality Initiative is a citizen-led organization based in Lahore, Pakistan, that works to raise awareness of air pollution as a public health emergency and to provide community-driven air quality data. Its website, pakairquality.com, describes air pollution as a public health emergency in Pakistan and frames its work as a citizen movement against air pollution that drives the clean air movement in the absence of government action. The initiative publishes articles, podcasts, and commentary on air quality topics, including a 2017 MIT Technology Review Pakistan article titled 'Is Breathing Killing Us?' and a 2020 livestream podcast with public policy and sustainability consultant Dawar Hameed Butt about the blue skies seen during COVID-19 lockdowns. It also engages with regional media such as Sustainable Asia's audio journey through Asian megacities, including an episode on fighting for clean air in Lahore. The organization positions itself as a community-driven source of air quality data and awareness, filling gaps left by limited official air quality management programs. It operates primarily in Pakistan, with a focus on Lahore and other major cities, and maintains an active online presence through its website and social media. As a small civil-society initiative rather than a commercial enterprise, it does not sell products; its 'offerings' are information, data, and advocacy. The initiative's work highlights the health impacts of toxic air, including lung diseases and other conditions, and calls for urgent air quality management programs.

The Pakistan Air Quality Initiative is a citizen-led organization based in Lahore, Pakistan, focused on air quality data and awareness. It emerged as part of a broader citizen movement against air pollution in Pakistan, operating in a context where government action on air quality management has been limited. The initiative maintains a website, pakairquality.com, which serves as a platform for community-driven air quality data and public awareness content. In February 2017, the website republished an article by Nushmiya Sukhera originally published in MIT Technology Review Pakistan, titled 'Is Breathing Killing Us?', which described a future Pakistan without urgent air quality management programs, including lung diseases, facemasks, and irritable eyes. In May 2020, the initiative hosted its first livestream podcast, speaking with Dawar Hameed Butt, a public policy, health and sustainability consultant based in Lahore, about the blue skies observed during COVID-19 lockdowns. Butt, known on Twitter as @theLahorewala, has been a key voice on climate change, environment, and air pollution. In December 2022, the initiative was featured in Sustainable Asia's audio journey to key Asian megacities, in an episode titled 'Fighting for Clean Air in Lahore,' which highlighted the citizen movement against air pollution in Pakistan. The initiative continues to update its website and engage with the public on air quality issues.

• Republished 'Is Breathing Killing Us?' article from MIT Technology Review Pakistan

• Hosted first livestream podcast with Dawar Hameed Butt on air pollution during COVID-19

• Featured in Sustainable Asia's 'Fighting for Clean Air in Lahore' episode

Citizen-led, community-driven air quality data and awareness initiative filling gaps in government action.

Product categories. Air quality data · Public awareness content · Podcasts and articles · Advocacy campaigns

1. 1Pakistan Air Quality Initiative – Community-driven air quality data and awarenesspakairquality.com
2. 2Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (Pakistan) - Wikidatawikidata.org