Air pollution originating in India has severely degraded air quality across Pakistan and the wider region, with cross-border smog making the atmosphere in Lahore, upper Punjab and border districts dangerously toxic, according to a report by Kashmir Media Service.
The report said Indian air pollution was visible from space, with NASA’s MODIS and VIIRS sensors and the European Space Agency’s Sentinel satellites detecting persistent pollution over India.
It identified crop residue burning as a major cause of worsening winter air pollution. Toxic smoke from stubble burning in India’s Punjab and Haryana states reaches Pakistani border areas first, with the geographical proximity making Pakistan’s Punjab particularly vulnerable to deteriorating air quality.
According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, 3,316 incidents of stubble burning were recorded across seven Indian states between September 15 and November 1, 2026.
Every winter, dense layers of smoke and fog blanket the Indo-Gangetic Plains, affecting Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Environmental experts say India, despite being a major source of regional pollution, has avoided pursuing a coordinated climate diplomacy strategy with neighbouring countries. They also point to industrial activity as a source of air pollution throughout the year.
