The worsening smog situation in Punjab has led the government to declare a health emergency in Lahore and Multan, the two worst-hit cities, as authorities continue efforts to curb air pollution and its impact on public health.
The provincial capital has maintained its position as the most polluted city in the world in terms of air pollution, while Multan has the worst air quality among Pakistani cities, as per Swiss group IQ Air.
Senior Minister for Information and Environment Protection Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday announced a further extension of the orders for school closures in smog-hit areas across the province.
“The schools will remain closed for another week due to the hazardous air quality,” she said while addressing a press conference.
The minister said that colleges and universities will switch to online classes to ensure the safety of students.
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Lahore — a city of 14 million people stuffed with factories on the border with India — regularly ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, but it has hit record levels this month, prompting authorities to take extraordinary measures to fight off smog.
As Punjab battles with air pollution with the arrival of winter season, the AQI of Punjab capital dropped as low as 732 this morning before improving to 669 by 1pm, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company.
