LAHORE - The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab on Saturday issued a smog alert and warned that the smog intensity is expected to increase between November till 20th December.
PDMA Director General urged citizens to cooperate with government initiatives aimed at reducing smog levels and ensuring public safety. He emphasised that collective responsibility and adherence to environmental guidelines were essential to mitigate health risks and improve air quality during the peak smog season. Polluted air drifting in from eastern Punjab, India, has blanketed Lahore and several other cities of central Punjab, worsening air quality across the region. 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 rise further over the next 24 hours. A Met official said the spike in AQI was primarily due to a temporary shift in wind direction toward Lahore, not local emissions. Winds from the west and northwest, blowing at 2 to 4 mph in the morning, briefly improved conditions, but as the speed dropped to 0 to 2 mph by afternoon, pollutants began accumulating again. By evening, winds from the east and southeast at 4 to 6 mph 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 increased PM2.5 and PM10 levels, sustaining the smog's intensity. Data from IQAir showed that Lahore's PM2.5 concentration was 18.6 times higher than the World Health Organization's annual guideline value. The city's most polluted areas 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).
The air pollution rate in the provincial capital has reached dangerous levels.
The city's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 412, after which Lahore has come first among the most polluted cities in the world. According to the Meteorological Department, the pollution rate in Lower Mall was 680, in Allama Iqbal Town 577, on Syed Muratab Ali Road 543, in Shadman 507, around Punjab University 506 and in Shalimar 495. The Air Quality Index of FC College was recorded at 520.
Environmental experts have directed citizens to avoid leaving their homes unnecessarily in the morning and evening hours. Along with this, emphasis has also been placed on ensuring the use of masks.
According to experts, the amount of particulate pollution (PM2.5) in Lahore's air is many times higher than the global standard, which can prove to be very harmful to human health.
Meanwhile, health experts have warned that exposure to such high pollution levels can lead to severe health issues, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, cancer, and even premature death.
Both outdoor and indoor air pollution are linked to a wide range of harmful health outcomes, affecting lung development, cognitive abilities, and life expectancy.
Additionally, experts noted that due to low morning temperatures, polluted particles remain suspended in the air for extended periods. To counter this, anti-smog guns will be deployed in areas with the highest pollution levels.