The province records an average AQI of 200 during the morning to afternoon monitoring period
A view of smog in the Punjab province. PHOTO FILE: AFP
LAHORE:
A thick layer of smog continued to smother most parts of Punjab on Saturday, pushing air quality to alarming and dangerous levels in several districts, worsening public health concerns, as dense fog and cold weather persisted 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 monitoring period from morning to afternoon, placing it firmly in the ‘unhealthy’ category.
Several districts experienced a worse situation. Muzaffargarh tops the list with an AQI of 291, followed by Rahim Yar Khan with 279 and Lahore with 274, all classified as “very unhealthy”.
Other major urban centers have also reported high levels of pollution. Gujrat recorded an AQI of 214, while Khanewal stood at 204. Cities like Narowal, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan and Bahawalpur remained in the upper ‘unhealthy’ range.
In Lahore, air quality readings varied widely by location, but remained alarming overall, with some monitoring stations showing extreme pollution. The city hall reported an AQI of 442, UET Lahore 43 and Egerton Road 402, all falling into the “hazardous” category. Other hotspots included the Lahore Waste Management Company area at 357 and Safari Park at 342.
Some areas, considered relatively less polluted, offered little relief. Shahdara, Kahna Nau Hospital and Punjab University campuses continued to report AQI results well above safe limits, while outlying sites such as Wagah and Bedian also hovered in the ‘unhealthy’ zone. Environmental experts warn that prolonged exposure to these levels can worsen respiratory and heart problems, especially in children, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a shallow westerly wave is present over the northwest of the country, but it is not strong enough to significantly disperse pollutants in the plains.
The PMD forecasts partly cloudy weather with chances of light rain and snowfall at isolated places of upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan for Saturday. Elsewhere, notably Punjab, cold and dry conditions are expected to prevail. Moderate to dense fog is likely to persist over Punjab, upper Sindh and KP plains during morning and night hours.
Similar forecasts were issued for Sunday, with partly cloudy conditions and isolated rain or snowfall in northern areas, while fog is expected to persist in the plains. Meteorologists warn that lingering 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 were recorded at isolated places in upper KP and GB, including Kalam, Astore and Skardu. Traces of snowfall were also reported in Gupis.
Minimum temperatures fell sharply in northern areas with Leh recording minus eight degrees Celsius, Gupis minus seven, Bagrote minus six and Parachinar minus four. Skardu, Gilgit and Astore recorded negative temperatures of three degrees Celsius.
Health professionals are urging residents, especially in smog-hit urban centers, to limit outdoor activities, use protective masks and keep windows closed during peak pollution hours. Environment officials reiterated calls for tougher enforcement of measures against smoke-emitting vehicles, industrial emissions and the burning of crop residues, warning that without sustained intervention air quality is unlikely to improve in the coming days.
For now, with weak weather systems and lingering fog, Punjab appears set to remain under a thick cloud of smog, leaving millions of people breathing air that experts say is increasingly dangerous.
