Air pollution and politics pose cross-border challenges in South Asia

Lahore, an east Pakistani city formerly known for its gardens but now notorious for its bad air quality, has a burnt-like scent to the air. Tens of thousands of people have become ill in recent months due to toxic pollution. There have been cancelled flights. In a first for the country, artificial rain was used in December of last year to combat pollution. Nothing appears to be functioning. Lahore is located in an area known as an airshed, where pollutants from the region's climate and geography, as well as those from industry, transportation, and other human activities, get trapped and…