26/11/2025
On Monday 24th of November 2025 Save Our Society Foundation (SOSF) and Disease Awareness and Prevention Society, (DAAPS) Government College University Lahore partnered to mark and celebrate the World Sustainable Transport Day in the face of the smog confronting residents in Punjab and particularly Lahore. The event was graced by Dr. Naila Malkani, Adviser DAAPS, GCU Lahore. Mr. Ahmad Jamal President, Office bearers and illustrious members of the Society, Dr. Shaista Sohail, CEO SOSF and around fifty students from first, third and fifth Semester formed the audience.
The well prepared and articulate stage Secretary, Mr. Abdur Rehman, a student of fifth Semester commenced the proceedings and made incisive observations on the significance of the event. He invited Ms. Areeba for an excellent recitation form the Holy Quran for expressing gratitude to Allah Almighty and to invoke to his blessings.
Mr. Ahmad Jamal, President DAAPS, GCU Lahore was the first speaker was. He welcomed the distinguished participants to the meeting. He said that the primary objectives of the Disease Awareness and Prevention Society (DAPPS) at GCU Lahore are centered around promoting public health knowledge and encouraging preventative health measures among the university community and beyond. Educating students and the wider community about various diseases, their causes, symptoms, and prevention methods and encouraging hygiene, proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Focusing on pressing local and global health issues, such as allergies caused by smog in Lahore to empower individuals with knowledge, as they believe "awareness isn't just knowledge, it's power," to build a healthier and safer community. He underscored the relevance of the, ‘World Sustainable Transport Day’ as a prime concern of DAAPS with the smog and its accompanying discomfort for the population in the form of allergies, coughs and colds, descending upon most of the Punjab and particularly Lahore.
Dr. Shaista Sohail, CEO SOSF shared that the event was a part of SOSF’s Chairman, Mr. Kanwar Muhammad Tariq’s vision for youth awareness raising. The point accentuated was that while it is desirable to achieve human development it should not be at the cost of degrading the environment. All citizens needed to have access to safe, affordable, sustainable transport that did not pollute the climate. The objective is to increase public knowledge on sustainable transport issues, promote eco-friendly modes. Vehicular traffic is a significant contributor to pollution. In Lahore Regd. Vehicles are 7 million (Dec.2022). Motorcycles: 4.8 million, other Vehicles: 2.2 million, buses, and trucks. Annual increase: 400,000 new vehicles. Unregistered Vehicles, 300,000 including motorcycle-rickshaws. Total Regd. Vehicles in Punjab over 19 million.
She said that the smog is a manifestation of pollution of the environment by vehicles emitting smoke, unplanned human colonies, destruction of natural habitats, trees being cut down, and primitive industry like brick kilns. The thought provoking session specially underscored the need for the policy makers to make pragmatic policies that are staggered and facilitate implementation.
In the transport sector the addition of 0.4 million vehicles annually required adhering to separate time bands for education and businesses so that commuting on the roads stops being a hassle and the roads that are the arteries for commerce and trade are kept open without perpetual traffic jams. The solutions lie in cleaner energy, energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and improving infrastructure for all modes of transport to be environment friendly. The air quality index (AQI) in Lahore is generally classified as "Very Unhealthy" or "Severe", with the city consistently ranking among the most polluted in the world.
She said that laws, rules and policies are devised by the Government for tackling the smog issues. Implementation issues of laws, rules and policies in its true spirit need humane focused attention. The implementation frame work of policies need to keep the marginalized in mind. When a policy is to be implemented it should be phased in. It’s not enough to order the unfit vehicles off the road or ban more than two persons on a motor bike. On a parallel track aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and economical electric rickshaws need to be introduced to replace the smoke emitting ones as a pro poor implementation facilitative policy where the family could cheaply travel without having to succumb to sitting precariously on one motor bike. Such rickshaws would provide cheap transport and employment as well be environmentally compliant while the older ones be phased out with a pragmatic cut-off date.
The civic duties responsibilities of citizens are often neglected by the literate and illiterate alike where a little effort by each individual to get his or her transport compliant with rules could make a big difference. Hence the need for awareness raising. The Health consequences of smog, include breathing issues. Fine particles pe*****te deep into lungs and bloodstreams, with increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, asthma and lung cancer.
The Q and A session got excellent participation and innovative ideas on checking toxic effluence being emitted in the environment. Singapore encouraged walking to work by heavily taxing vehicular traffic. Car pooling and working from home on fixed days by rotation were other options to reduce traffic. To reduce congestion and stress for drivers it was suggested to designate opening and closing time bands for educational institutions and businesses. The issues require tailor made solutions, there is no one size fits all approach. While electric batteries are good for shorter distances fossil fuel continues to be used for long routes.
The lack of documentary proof in making claims for assistance post floods was a severe handicap in seeking aid from the international community. Saad, Ali Haider, Javeria, Zahra, Abdur Rehman won prizes for their interventions judged by Dr. Naila Malkani, Advisor DAAPS who made wise and astute observations that were applauded. There was a vote of thanks for all the participants and organizers and the work done by SOSF and Dr. Shaista Sohail was much appreciated and commended
The observance of ‘World Sustainable Transport Day’ by SOSF and DAAPS, GCU Lahore served as a powerful reminder that sustainable transport is not merely an environmental ideal but a public health necessity. Combating smog and pollution requires not only comprehensive laws and policies but, more importantly, their consistent and sincere implementation. Equally essential is active public participation, citizens must recognize their civic responsibility to adopt cleaner practices, support eco-friendly transport choices, and advocate for a healthier environment. Only through a collective effort can Lahore move toward cleaner air, safer mobility, and a more sustainable future.
The program ended with a distribution of shields, certificates and a group photograph and an energized audience keen to play their role in awareness raising to make every citizen in his or her individual capacity to ensure and propagate minimal pollution of the environment.