Lahore, Oct. 28 -- Pakistan's worsening air pollution crisis is shortening lives, claiming thousands of victims prematurely and placing a substantial burden on the country's struggling economy, according to a report by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI), as reported by The Express Tribune.

According to The Express Tribune, the assessment estimates that polluted air reduces the average life expectancy of Pakistanis by 3.9 years and contributes to approximately 128,000 premature deaths every year. The economic damage is equally alarming, with pollution-related costs estimated at 6.5 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP.

Titled Unveiling Pakistan's Air Pollution: A National Landscape Report on Health Risks, Sources...