LAHORE: (Wednesday, October 08, 2025): Punjab University Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) in collaboration with the Punjab Charity Commission organized a seminar on “Roadmap for Combating Smog with All Stakeholders”. On this occasion, PU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, Director ISCS Prof Dr Farhan Navid Yousaf, CEO Punjab Charity Commission Col (r) Shahzad Amir, Director Punjab Civil Defence Tasneem Ali Khan, Additional Director General of the Environment Protection Authority Dr Zafar Iqbal, faculty members and a large number of students were present. In his address, Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood urged everyone to act responsibly, emphasizing both individual and collective responsibility toward a cleaner, healthier environment. Dr Farhan Navid Yousaf emphasized the role of academia in bridging research and policy gaps, noting the socioeconomic burden of smog on health, education, and industry. He also emphasized the urgent need for multi-sectorial collaboration and urged youth to lead behavioral and lifestyle changes to help combat the environmental crisis. He said that the event brought together experts from academia, government, and civil society to discuss coordinated strategies for addressing the growing challenge of smog and air pollution in Punjab. Col (r) Shahzad Amir termed universities as the “nerve system” of society and called for greater intersectoral collaboration. He stressed upon the importance of community-level campaigns and highlighted that Pakistan’s strong philanthropic spirit can drive meaningful environmental action. Institute of Energy and Environmental Engineering’s Dr Zaeem Bin Babar while highlighting the technical dimensions of the crisis presented a scientific and policy roadmap to navigate Pakistan’s air pollution crisis, stressing the importance of long-term planning and research-driven decision-making. He said that PU is working on projects to fill key data gaps by year-end. Tasneem Ali Khan introduced the Punjab Civil Defence Resilience Corps, encouraging students to register as volunteers. He shed light on the interdepartmental cooperation and community participation in disaster management. Dr Zafar Iqbal briefed participants on the government’s ongoing and upcoming strategies to combat smog, focusing on emissions control, industrial regulation, and public awareness. Samina Ashraf, Member of the Punjab Climate Action Network, described the critical role of civil society and grassroots organizations in mobilizing communities and promoting sustainable practices for climate protection.