Facemask mandatory for bikers as Punjab battles worsening smog

Thick layers of smog continued to blanket Punjab on Monday as polluted winds from India drifted across the border, sharply deteriorating air quality in several cities, including Lahore, Faisalabad, and Kasur. According to data released by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the average provincial Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 177 - a level considered "unhealthy" for sensitive groups and indicative of high pollution concentration in the air.

EPA figures show that Kasur once again topped the list of the most polluted districts in Punjab, with an AQI of 268. Faisalabad followed closely with a reading of 248, while Dera Ghazi Khan and Lahore registered AQI levels of 229 and 227, respectively. Sahiwal, Multan, and Gujranwala also reported AQI levels above 170, highlighting that the smog crisis has spread widely across central and South Punjab.

Within Lahore, the situation was especially concerning in several localities. Kahna Nau and FMD Research Centre reported AQI readings above 300, placing them in the "very unhealthy" category, while other areas like Shahdara, Egerton Road, and Safari Park recorded levels between 220 and 265.

Meteorological data indicates that winds blowing at approximately 5km per hour from Indian cities including Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Gurdaspur begun carrying high concentrations of particulate matter into Pakistani territory. Officials said that areas such as Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar are being directly impacted. Similar wind flows from Indian regions of Jodhpur and Jaipur are also contributing to the haze over South Punjab. Environmental experts attribute the worsening air quality to Diwali celebrations in India, during which large-scale fireworks, coupled with existing crop residue burning, push dangerous levels of pollutants into the atmosphere. The fallout, they said, is now drifting westward.

Punjab's Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the government had completed extensive preparations to reduce the impact of transboundary pollution. "We have activated anti-smog guns and started large-scale water sprinkling across major thoroughfares since last night," she said in a statement. "Citizens are strongly advised to use masks, keep vehicle windows closed, and limit unnecessary outdoor activity, especially during morning and evening hours when smog tends to thicken."

Authorities have also made mask-wearing mandatory for motorbike riders in Lahore and other urban centres. Anti-smog guns and water sprinkling operations are being carried out in key areas including Karim Block, Multan Road, Ravi Bridge, Shahdara Flyover, Thokar Niaz Baig, Upper Mall Scheme, and GT Road. Officials from the city administration have been instructed to cover construction materials at ongoing sites and ensure that goods transport vehicles are fully tarped to minimise dust emissions.

The EPA said a marginal improvement in air quality could be expected between 1:00pm and 5:00pm due to slight atmospheric changes, but warned that haze and low visibility may persist throughout the day. The agency also urged citizens to refrain from burning waste, a common practice in both rural and urban areas that intensifies particulate pollution.

Meanwhile, international monitoring platforms placed Lahore as the second most polluted major city in the world, trailing only behind Delhi (180). Other major cities on the list included Karachi (167), Kolkata (158), and Mumbai (156), highlighting a regional smog crisis across South Asia.

Environmental experts warn that if current weather patterns persist, pollution levels could continue to rise over the next several days.