Smog Alert Issued as Polluted Air Blankets Punjab

News Desk

Lahore: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab on Saturday issued a smog alert for the province, warning that its intensity is expected to increase from November until December 20.

According to PTV News, the Director General of PDMA urged citizens to cooperate with government initiatives aimed at reducing smog levels and ensuring public safety. He emphasized that collective responsibility and adherence to environmental guidelines were essential to mitigate health risks and improve air quality during the peak smog season.

Meanwhile, Lahore continued to experience dry and hazy weather on Saturday as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned that persistent dry conditions and rising air pollution were likely to keep the city and other districts of eastern Punjab under the grip of smog.

The Met Office said that continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country, bringing generally dry weather, while hilly areas were expected to remain cold during morning and night hours. Citizens were advised to take precautionary measures against the prevailing smog.

Adding to the concern, polluted air drifting in from eastern Punjab, India, has further worsened the air quality in Lahore and several other cities of central Punjab. According to the Smog Monitoring and Early Warning System, the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) ranged between 220 and 240 and is expected to remain the same or increase over the next 24 hours.

A Met official said the recent spike in AQI was primarily due to a temporary shift in wind direction toward Lahore rather than local emissions. Winds from the west and northwest briefly improved conditions in the morning but slowed down by afternoon, allowing pollutants to accumulate again. By evening, winds from the east and southeast were expected to push polluted air back into central Punjab.

The Smog Monitoring System reported that smoke from industrial and agricultural areas of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Haryana had reached Lahore, Faisalabad, and Sheikhupura. In Indian Punjab, the burning of crop residues continued to elevate PM2.5 and PM10 levels, sustaining the smog’s intensity.

Data from IQAir indicated that Lahore’s PM2.5 concentration was 18.6 times higher than the World Health Organization’s annual guideline value. The most polluted areas of the city included Model Town Link Road (216), Ravi Road (205), Allama Iqbal Town (203), Shalimar Link Road (198), DHA Phase V (191), and Shadman Market (190).

Authorities have urged the public to minimize outdoor activities, use protective masks, and avoid unnecessary travel during peak smog hours to reduce health risks associated with poor air quality.