- Early Thursday morning, Al Qaeda levels in Lahore exceeded 800.
- Doctors advise residents to wear masks when going outdoors.
- The educational institution has ordered classes to be conducted online.
LAHORE: Life in Punjab’s capital continues to be severely affected by rising smog levels, with air quality remaining in the hazardous zone for weeks.
Early Thursday morning, Lahore sat at the top of the Air Quality Index (AQI) ranking with a level of over 800, and was consistently topping the list even after 9am with 784, according to data from Swiss air quality monitor IQAir.
Marium Aurangzeb, Punjab’s chief minister, noted on Wednesday that Lahore’s skies had remained dangerous for its residents for weeks after it became one of the cities with the highest al Qaeda presence in the world, with levels constantly exceeding 1,000 due to winds carrying pollution from neighboring India.
This prolonged exposure has led to an increase in hospital admissions due to respiratory problems, with Lahore and other cities such as Multan, Kasur, Sheikhupura and Gujranwala being severely affected.
The continued dangerous atmosphere has made it difficult for citizens to breathe, leaving them vulnerable to respiratory diseases, as they struggle to continue their daily activities.
Doctors advised Lahore residents to wear masks when leaving their homes.
On the other hand, the government has also closed private and government educational institutions, teaching up to higher secondary level, in the city as well as other districts of Punjab till November 17, according to the notification.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Education Department has ordered educational centers and academies to remain closed.
“All educational institutions will shift to online classes,” the notification read.
The notification was issued after Aurangzeb, the previous day, announced the lockdown at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Residence.
She confirmed that schools in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan divisions will move to online classes until November 17, with priority given to public health amid rising pollution levels.
“Today, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 1150. Yesterday, the AQI remained at 500, which is very dangerous,” Aurangzeb explained, urging parents to keep their children indoors and shift to online education. She also emphasized that this shift is not a holiday but A measure to mitigate exposure to dangerous air pollutants.
In addition to closing schools, Punjab has introduced a policy of mandatory wearing of masks in public places. Public and private offices have been directed to adopt a 50% work-from-home policy, and all government meetings will be held online until further notice.
Aurangzeb said that specific targets have been set for the health, agriculture and environment departments to combat pollution. The recently established Smog Control Chamber monitors air quality data around the clock and coordinates efforts across departments.