The province records an average AQI of 200 during the morning to afternoon monitoring period
A view of smog in Punjab province. PHOTO FILE: AFP
LAHORE:
A thick blanket of smog continued to suffocate most parts of Punjab on Saturday, pushing air quality to alarmingly dangerous levels in several districts, worsening public health as dense fog and cold weather continued across the region.
According to data released by the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the province recorded an average air quality index (AQI) of 200 during the morning-to-afternoon monitoring period, placing it firmly in the ‘unhealthy’ bracket.
Several districts fared worse. Muzaffargarh topped the list with an AQI of 291, followed by Rahim Yar Khan at 279 and Lahore at 274, all classified as ‘very unhealthy’.
Other major urban centers also reported elevated pollution levels. Gujrat recorded an AQI of 214, while Khanewal stood at 204. Cities including Narowal, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan and Bahawalpur remained in the upper ‘unhealthy’ range.
Within Lahore, air quality readings varied widely by location but generally remained alarming, with some monitoring stations showing extreme pollution. City Hall reported an AQI of 442, UET Lahore 43 and Egerton Road 402, all of which fall into the ‘dangerous’ category. Other hotspots included the Lahore Waste Management Company area at 357 and Safari Park at 342.
Some areas considered relatively less polluted provided little relief. Shahdara, Kahna Nau Hospital and Punjab University campuses continued to report AQI readings well above safe limits, while peripheral locations like Wagah and Bedian also hovered in the ‘unhealthy’ zone. Environmental experts warn that long-term exposure at these levels can worsen respiratory and heart disease, especially among children, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a shallow westerly wave is present over the northwestern parts of the country, but it is not strong enough to significantly spread pollutants over the plains.
The PMD expects partly cloudy weather with chances of light rain and snowfall at isolated places in upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday. Elsewhere, including Punjab, cold and dry conditions are expected to prevail. Moderate to dense fog is likely to continue over Punjab, upper Sindh and KP plain during morning and night hours.
A similar outlook has been issued for Sunday, with partly cloudy conditions and isolated rain or snow in northern areas, while fog is expected to linger over the plains. Meteorologists warn that continued fog and stagnant air could further trap pollutants near the surface, prolonging the smog episode.
Over the past 24 hours, cold and dry weather has dominated most parts of the country with very cold and partly cloudy conditions in hilly areas. Light rain and snowfall was recorded at isolated places in upper KP and GB including Kalam, Astore and Skardu. Traces of snowfall were also reported in Gupis.
The minimum temperatures dropped sharply in the northern regions with Leh recording negative eight degrees Celsius, Gupis negative seven, Bagrote negative six and Parachinar negative four. Skardu, Gilgit and Astore recorded minimum temperatures of three degrees Celsius.
Health officials are urging residents, especially in smog-ridden city centers, to limit outdoor activity, wear protective masks and keep windows closed during peak pollution hours. Environment officials, meanwhile, have reiterated calls for tougher enforcement of smog-emitting vehicles, industrial emissions and crop residue burning, warning that without sustained action, air quality is unlikely to improve in the coming days.
For now, with weak weather systems and persistent fog, Punjab looks set to remain under a heavy smog cloud, leaving millions to breathe air that experts say is increasingly unsafe.
