The neighboring country, Pakistan's second-largest city, Lahore, is facing a serious air pollution issue as the air quality index in the city and its surroundings has plummeted to unprecedented lows nearing 2000. The population in the region is choking due to a thick layer of smog covering Lahore.
Meanwhile, a minister has also blamed India for the air pollution in Lahore, stating that "strong winds" have carried pollutants from the neighboring country into Pakistan.
According to reports, Lahore topped the chart of the world's most polluted cities on Sunday after recording a pollution reading of 1,067.
AQI levels are categorised as follows: 0-50 is considered good; 51-100 is 'satisfactory'; 101-200 is 'moderate'; 201-300 is 'poor'; 301-400 is 'very poor'; 401-450 is 'severe'; and above 450 is 'severe plus'.
In Lahore, the level of pollutants has reached a record high, exceeding more than 40 times the limit considered healthy by the WHO.
The deadly air quality has forced Pakistani authorities to close primary schools for a week, and the government has also banned construction work in certain areas.
Yesterday, during a press conference, Punjab province minister Marriyum Aurangzeb emphasised the need for discussions with India to address pollution problems, stating that authorities would engage in talks with New Delhi through Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
"This issue cannot be resolved without dialogue with India," she said, urging residents of Lahore to limit unnecessary travel, stay indoors, and keep their doors and windows closed.
Raja Jehangir Anwar, another official from Punjab, referred to stubble burning in India—one of the main causes of air pollution—as the "biggest headache."
Actor-singer Ali Zafar, in a social media post, urged authorities on both sides of the border to protect lives and curb this pollution.
"The air quality index in Lahore/Punjab nearing 2000 is a public health crisis—a death trap that’s simply unacceptable. Urgent, coordinated action is needed from authorities on both sides of the border to protect lives and curb this pollution!" Zafar stated.
