A severe smog crisis has enveloped Punjab, with Lahore earning the grim distinction of the world’s most polluted city as its Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to hazardous levels on Thursday, prompting the provincial government to order emergency measures.
Air quality monitoring reports confirmed the escalating environmental emergency, placing Lahore at the top of the global pollution index, closely followed by the Indian capital, New Delhi. Other major urban centers in the province, including Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, and Multan, are also experiencing dangerously poor air quality.
According to the Punjab Environment Department, the AQI in Lahore surged to a hazardous 485, while Delhi registered a score of 445. The situation was even more dire in other cities, with Faisalabad recording an alarming AQI of 833, Gujranwala at 764, and Multan at 305, all indicating extremely unhealthy atmospheric conditions.
In response, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed an immediate crackdown on environmental violations. The directives include the swift closure of under-construction buildings, roads, and other sites failing to comply with standard operating procedures designed to mitigate air pollution.
Authorities have also intensified anti-smog operations across the region. A ban has been imposed on dry sweeping and the use of lime powder for cleaning major thoroughfares and public spaces. Environmental officials cautioned that low wind speeds combined with dropping temperatures could further exacerbate the toxic haze in the coming days.
Residents have been strongly advised to limit unnecessary outdoor exposure, especially between the peak pollution hours of 7 p.m. and 3 p.m. The government has also announced stricter enforcement against smoke-emitting vehicles and is encouraging citizens to adopt carpooling to reduce traffic emissions.
To address the chronic issue, the provincial government has initiated an ambitious long-term project titled ‘Lungs of Lahore.’ The initiative aims to create a vast, forest-like green belt encircling the city to act as a natural filter against pollution and to manage urban expansion. The project involves planting over 4.8 million trees along a 112-kilometer boundary covering 1,711 acres, which will be implemented by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Lahore and is expected to benefit nearly 20 million inhabitants.
However, environmental specialists have expressed skepticism regarding the long-term project’s immediate impact, urging for more practical and swift actions. They recommend restricting new construction, reducing private vehicle use, promoting public transportation, and temporarily suspending vehicle financing schemes.
Experts have also pointed to large tracts of vacant government land, such as those belonging to the University of the Punjab and the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA), as ideal locations for developing urban forests to create natural pollution barriers.
With no rainfall predicted in the near future, analysts warn that the government may need to explore drastic short-term solutions, such as inducing artificial rain, to provide temporary relief from the suffocating smog gripping Lahore and other major cities.