The smog season in Punjab this year is expected to be longer than usual, according to environmental experts. Lahore, in particular, has been ranked the most polluted city in the world earlier than in previous years, with smog affecting several major cities, including Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, and Sialkot. Heavy nighttime traffic on the Lahore-Islamabad GT Road has also contributed to rising air pollution in nearby areas.
On October 12, Lahore topped the Air Quality Index (AQI) as the most polluted city globally for the first time this season, earlier than last year’s peak, which occurred on October 29. Dr. Munawar Sabir, an environmental expert, expressed concern over the worsening trend, noting that October was once a pleasant month but now sees significant air pollution due to mismanagement and deforestation for housing developments.
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Dr. Sabir warned that the smog season could extend well into March, urging both the government and citizens to prepare for an extended period of poor air quality. Despite this, officials from the environment protection department have not publicly shared AQI readings to avoid public panic, although the global ranking has exposed Lahore’s deteriorating air quality.
In response, Senior Minister Mariyyum Aurangzeb has mobilized various departments, including the police and environment protection authorities, to combat smog. A campaign targeting brick kilns, factories burning tires, and the burning of rice crop residue is already underway. Professor Arshad Mahmood of the University of Gujrat emphasized that these efforts would help reduce smog, but also called on citizens, particularly the youth, to actively contribute to the fight against pollution.
