The Punjab government launched the first system for forecasting the air quality of Pakistan, a historic initiative designed to curb pollution and provide precise forecasts for major cities, including Lahore and Faisalabad. The system will publish weekly public reports, providing for both weather and pollution levels to guide authorities and citizens in environmental risk management.
Speaking during the inauguration, the main provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the new system combines real -time surveillance with advanced scientific models and is integrated into international platforms such as models of windy and European forecasts. “It will work in accordance with the global air quality indices while meeting local requirements,” she said.
The system will draw data from modern Punjab air quality surveillance stations, 41 of which are already operational, to provide detailed assessments of weather conditions and pollution levels. Officials said the number of surveillance stations will be extended to 100 in the coming months. In addition to forecasts, the system will provide citizens with health protection opinions, especially for vulnerable groups.
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Aurangzeb stressed that the initiative would strengthen the scientific foundations of policies’ development. The system is part of the wider SMOG control plan of Punjab, which calls for strict action against the combustion of harvest residues, steps to reduce vehicle and industrial emissions and a closer application of environmental regulations, she added.
It urged citizens to cooperate with government efforts to combat pollution, warning health risks posed by SMOG. “During SMOG episodes, children, the elderly and patients with respiratory diseases should take additional precautions and avoid unnecessary exterior exposure,” she advised.
