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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will launch a crackdown on smoke-emitting vehicles in the federal capital of Islamabad from Nov. 17 to curb air pollution ahead of the smog season, state media reported on Sunday.

Smog is caused by crop burning, vehicular emissions and industrial pollution. It harms health, reduces visibility and degrades air quality. The smog season begins in late October, peaks from November to January and lasts through February.

In June, Pakistan began emission testing for vehicles entering Islamabad to curb air pollution by measuring exhaust pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides for compliance with environmental standards.

Authorities will fine and impound vehicles during surprise inspections and on-the-spot emission tests during the crackdown across the federal capital, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

“This campaign is not only about enforcement but also awareness,” Muhammad Saleem Shaikh, a climate change ministry spokesperson, was quoted as saying.

“Public education efforts are underway to encourage voluntary compliance and ensure cleaner air for Islamabad’s residents. Protecting ourselves, our families and our environment from the harmful effects of air pollution and smog is a collective responsibility.”

Pakistan’s urban centers routinely rank among the most polluted cities in the world, with vehicular emissions remaining one of the top contributors to urban air pollution, according to the report. This severe air pollution poses a serious threat to public health, undermines economic productivity and diminishes the quality of life for millions of residents.

Shaikh urged all vehicle drivers and owners to cooperate with EPA teams, get their vehicles tested before the crackdown begins next month, and obtain official clearance to avoid penalties.

“We urge citizens to avoid unnecessary use of vehicles, use public transport, ensure regular maintenance to minimize smoke emissions and refrain from burning waste or leaves in open spaces,” he said.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has witnessed one of the sharpest drops in sovereign default risks and stands second worldwide based on Credit Default Swap-implied probability, the country’s finance adviser said on Sunday, citing data from Bloomberg.

A Credit Default Swap-implied probability is the market’s forward-looking estimate of the probability of a borrower defaulting on their debt as derived from the spread of their Credit Default Swap (CDS) contract.

The South Asian country is second only to Turkiye in the Emerging Market (EM) rankings, recording 22 percent reduction in default risk over the last 15 months from June 24 till September 25, according to Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister.

“Default probability down by a massive 2,200 basis points,” Schehzad said on X. “Pakistan is the only country in the EM sample showing consistent quarterly improvement across the past year.”

The development comes as the South Asian country navigates a long path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.

Schehzad said this sharp decline in country’s default risk resulted from macroeconomic stability, structural economic reforms, timely debt servicing, staying the course with the IMF program, and positive ratings actions from global agencies such as S&P, Fitch and Moody’s.

“Message to investors: Pakistan is steadily rebuilding market credibility, standing out as one of the most improved sovereign credit stories in the emerging market universe,” he added.