Environmental Issues in Pakistan: A National Disaster

If I had a penny for every time a news channel reported an event damaging the environment in Pakistan, I would be a millionaire. Omitting natural disasters for a brief moment, let us examine the root cause of the environmental problems we encounter on a daily basis: We simply DON’T care. On a conscious level, this may seem like a harsh statement to digest but let’s not get carried away. Blaming the current crisis on unforeseen circumstances such as earthquakes, floods, and of course, India is a tried-and-tested excuse that works like a charm. But, what’s the point of it all? Isn’t the situation getting worst even without the presence of these factors?

Caring for something with true intentions gets the job half-done. Our lack of understanding the true intensity of the crisis we face today in the form of water pollution, noise pollution, land pollution, and air pollution truly reflect the amount we care. Blaming the politicians is also a convenient way to deflect our own shortcomings. That being said, caring without application is of no use either. And the sooner we realize it, the better position we will be in order to tackle the current crisis.

With respect to the intensity of the crisis, application requires a collective effort. Individual efforts may contribute a little to the overall cause but aren’t enough to warrant a much more consistent change required to tackle the issues we face. Collective effort requires commitment on a macro-level, which takes time to achieve. For that to happen, we, as a nation, have to identify the problems we see and collectively look for long-term solutions.

The first step in solving any issue is to identify it. Without acknowledgment, one cannot hope for a change. The environmental issues in Pakistan cannot possibly be repaired unless we collectively take the blame for it. And we should also get accustomed to the fact that there is no easy or temporary fix for this. Therefore, one should strive to be the change they wish to see.

In Pakistan, water pollution seems to be at the top of the list almost every time environmental issues are discussed. And why not! Water is necessary for survival and therefore serves personal interest. All of a sudden, we seem to care again. It’s no secret that water pollution is largely tolerated in the name of industrialization. The ones who have access to clean water rarely understand the importance of it. Poor sanitation and lack of knowledge contribute to so many diseases and deaths very year. Lack of strict regulations by the policy makers are largely to be blamed for this. Making of a law is different than enforcing it. Enforcement requires educating people of the consequences of a particular action and we have failed to not only understand the intensity of the situation but also the aftermath.


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