Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, is grappling with unprecedented levels of air pollution, leading government authorities to implement drastic measures to protect public health.
For over a week, the city of 14 million has been covered in a dense blanket of smog, a toxic mix of fog and pollutants originating from sources like low-grade diesel fumes, crop-burning smoke, and seasonal winter inversion.
The situation has raised alarm, pushing Lahore to the top of the world’s list of most polluted cities, according to the real-time air quality monitor IQAir.
The Green Lockdown
In response to this air quality emergency, the Punjab government announced the closure of all government and private primary schools for one week, effective Monday. The decision comes amid fears over children’s vulnerability to the health impacts of toxic air, including respiratory diseases and long-term cardiovascular damage. Masks have been recommended for all students, while hospitals across the city have installed “smog counters” to monitor air quality for incoming patients.
Alongside school closures, the government has also implemented a “green lockdown,” aiming to reduce vehicle emissions and industrial pollution. Under this initiative, 50% of office employees will work from home, a move intended to cut traffic-related pollution by half. Additional measures include a ban on polluting engine-powered rickshaws and restrictions on barbecuing without filters in public spaces.
“This smog is very harmful for children. Masks should be mandatory in schools, and we are closely monitoring the health of senior students,” stated Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb in a recent press conference. She urged residents to stay indoors, keep doors and windows closed, and avoid unnecessary travel.
Unprecedented Air Quality Readings
Lahore’s air quality index (AQI), a comprehensive measure of pollutants in the atmosphere, recently crossed the 1,000 mark, exceeding the World Health Organization’s threshold of 300 for “hazardous” levels. Over the weekend, certain areas near the Pakistan-India border recorded an AQI as high as 1,900, the highest level ever reported in the city’s history. The concentration of PM2.5, a particularly harmful particulate matter, was found to be more than 40 times the WHO’s safe limit.
According to the World Health Organization, prolonged exposure to toxic air can lead to a host of severe health problems, including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases. Children, whose lungs are still developing, are particularly at risk, as they breathe more rapidly and take in a higher volume of polluted air relative to their size than adults.
“Pollution in excess of safe levels can cut life expectancy by as much as 7.5 years for Lahore’s residents,” reported the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute. This statistic underlines the dire need for comprehensive, sustainable pollution control measures.
Stubble Burning and Cross-Border Pollution
Government officials have attributed a significant portion of the pollution to cross-border smoke from crop stubble burning in India. “This smog crisis cannot be solved without talks with India,” said Aurangzeb.
Lahore’s Senior Environmental Officer, Raja Jehangir Anwar, also emphasized the role of burning crop waste, commonly known as stubble, in exacerbating the pollution levels.
The winds carrying pollutants from across the border worsen Lahore’s air quality, especially in winter when temperature inversions trap pollutants closer to the ground. Such inversions create a dense, harmful layer of pollution that lingers over the city, trapping residents in toxic air.
Immediate and Long-Term Actions
In addition to school closures and work-from-home mandates, the government has taken additional steps to curb pollution. Vehicles equipped with pumps are spraying water into the air to reduce dust particles. Construction work has been temporarily halted in certain zones, and factories that do not comply with pollution control regulations face potential shutdowns.
The government plans to reassess the situation next Saturday to determine whether these measures should be extended. In the meantime, experts stress that consistent efforts, including regulatory changes and cross-border cooperation, are essential to address the root causes of pollution.
Public Health Concerns
The crisis has left many residents in a state of panic, with some expressing fears about their children’s health. “As a mother, I am full of anxiety,” shared 42-year-old resident Lilly Mirza. “Last year was not this bad. Somebody needs to tell us what has happened—did a pollution bomb explode somewhere?”
While air pollution in South Asia tends to worsen during winter due to climate conditions, this year’s levels in Lahore are seen as an alarming wake-up call.
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