Karachi is currently grappling with a dual threat: a significant drop in minimum temperature coinciding with what meteorologists are calling “hazardous smog,” creating serious public health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations like children.
Health experts are now strongly urging the general public to take immediate protective measures, including wearing face masks to shield against the cold and pollution, and consuming nutritious food to boost immunity.
Not Fog, But ‘Hazardous’ Smog
Speaking to Dawn, Chief Meteorologist Ameer Hyder Laghari clarified that the thick haze witnessed in Karachi’s early mornings is not natural fog but rather “hazardous” smog—an intense form of air pollution that severely cuts visibility and poses a danger to human health and the environment.
Laghari explained the mechanism behind the phenomenon: “In winters, the cold weather slows down the movement of air pollutants, and the low wind speed fails to disperse them, leading to the build-up of smog.” He noted that the low moisture content in the air confirms the current condition is not fog.
The pollution crisis has been compounded by constant clouds of dust generated throughout the day from multiple, active under-construction sites scattered across the city.
World’s Fourth Most Polluted City
The severity of the air quality was highlighted in a recent Air Quality Index (AQI) report on Friday, which ranked Karachi as the fourth most polluted city in the world, declaring the air quality “hazardous” to human health.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) data showed the minimum temperature dropping from $20^{\circ}\text{C}$ on Monday, November 3, to $17^{\circ}\text{C}$ on Friday, November 7. On Friday, the relative humidity was recorded at a low 17 per cent in the early morning and 16 per cent in the evening.
Surge in Chest Infections and Pneumonia
Health officials are sounding alarms over the direct impact of the hazardous air on respiratory health. They stressed that essential precautions include wearing face masks and avoiding unnecessary outdoor activity.
Dr. Ved Vaswani, associated with Burhani Hospital and Al-Mustafa Medical Centre, highlighted the difficulty in implementing these precautions for children. “There is no doubt that dust allergy has become a major problem in Karachi, and children have been the worst hit,” he told Dawn.
“In recent weeks, we have been seeing a huge number of cases of chest infection, many of them with pneumonia requiring admission,” Dr. Vaswani warned, adding that the situation has not yet improved.
Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, representing the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), seconded these concerns, noting a dramatic increase in cases of chest infections among children. He cautioned that “Delayed medical intervention leads to pneumonia,” whose symptoms include fever, severe coughing, and difficulty in breathing.
Both experts stressed the importance of boosting natural immunity through healthy eating, emphasizing that junk food is harmful. They also urged parents to protect children from the cold, particularly during the sharp temperature drops seen around midnight.