Lahore is expected to experience deteriorating air quality on Tuesday as smog from Delhi, which recorded a hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) of 535 at around 8:40 am according to Swiss monitoring group IQAir, drifts into the city.
Parts of Punjab are already shrouded in toxic smog, prompting authorities to limit activities, implement modern countermeasures, and form a panel to oversee preventive efforts.
Lahore, Punjab’s capital and the country’s cultural hub, logged an AQI of 266, classifying it as “very unhealthy” and the second most polluted city worldwide.
Experts predict Lahore’s average AQI tomorrow could range between 210 and 240.
PM2.5 concentrations, fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers that can enter the bloodstream, measured 187 µg/m³—37.4 times above the WHO annual guideline.
Karachi also ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, coming in sixth with an AQI of 164 (“unhealthy”).
The worsening air quality is expected to intensify fog and smog, exacerbated by smoke from Diwali fireworks in India.
Efforts to improve Lahore’s air quality remain limited. The Punjab government continues scattered measures, including a joint operation by the Lahore Development Authority and WASA to spray water citywide.
Pollution spikes every winter in South Asia as cold air traps emissions, dust, and smoke from farm burning after rice harvests to prepare fields for wheat planting.
Grand anti-smog operation
Meanwhile, Punjab’s first advanced Smog Monitoring and Control Centre, equipped with modern technology, is continuously collecting air quality data.
Anti-smog guns are also being deployed at identified smog hotspots across Lahore in a bid to reduce particulate pollution.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday said that nine departments of the Punjab government were carrying out grand operations against smog as per the direction of the Punjab chief minister.
“Continuous efforts by the Punjab government and public cooperation helped to control the air quality index of the city.”
She said that the environmental protection force and the department were fully mobilised and all sectoral squads were present in the field, and that brick-kilns were being monitored through drones, besides issuing a live report.
The senior minister said that smog guns and air quality monitors were also present in the field, while for the first time in Punjab’s history, forecasting of the air quality index had enabled timely operations along with the government’s approach to control pollution levels.
“Modern technology, anti-smog machinery, timely data provision and inter-departmental coordination had kept air quality at controlled levels,” she added.
Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif congratulated all officers and staff for their efforts.
The minister said that the modern climatic data centre had pre-identified areas with high pollution levels for targeted action.
She further said that construction materials in open areas were promptly covered to prevent dust emissions.
Traffic police banned movement of trucks, freight vehicles and trolleys to control vehicular pollution, she said and added that traffic monitoring through Safe City cameras was ongoing, ensuring smooth flow.
Marriyum said that WASA, LDA, PHA, C&W and local administration began water sprinkling operations last night.
