As Lahore’s air quality plunges once again, Pakistan scrambles with emergency measures like anti-smog guns, even as it blames India’s Diwali for worsening pollution. However, experts point to Pakistan’s long-standing environmental failures as the real cause of its recurring smog crisis.
The air quality has deteriorated sharply in Pakistan’s Lahore, which triggered alarm and emergency measures from the Maryam Nawaz-led provincial government. However, instead of acknowledging its chronic pollution crisis, Pakistan has once again pointed fingers at India. According to a report by Pakistani daily Dawn, officials in Lahore claimed that winds carrying pollutants from New Delhi and northern Indian cities worsened the situation in the country. The provincial Environment Protection Department (EPD) alleged that emissions from Diwali fireworks in India, coupled with low wind speeds, were to blame for the city’s toxic air.
Lahore 2nd on the global pollution chart
By Tuesday morning, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) had soared to 266, making it the second most polluted city in the world — right behind New Delhi, which continues to battle severe air pollution with AQI levels exceeding 300 in several areas. However, environmental experts stated that Lahore’s worsening smog is nothing new. The city has consistently featured among the world’s most polluted urban centres due to rampant crop burning, unchecked vehicular emissions and industrial smoke. Despite this, Pakistan continues its habitual blame game in order to divert attention from its own environmental negligence while its citizens struggle to breathe under a thick haze of its own making.
Anti-smog guns deployed in Lahore
In an effort to combat Lahore’s escalating smog crisis, the Punjab government has launched its first-ever anti-smog gun operation in the city. The drive, initiated in the Kahna area, reportedly yielded remarkable results, with officials claiming a 70% reduction in air pollution levels. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the area is said to have dropped sharply from a staggering 666 to 170 following the operation.
Lahore’s long battle with hazardous air
However, this is not Lahore’s first brush with hazardous air quality. Earlier this year, on January 11, the city recorded an alarming AQI of 529 – classified as “hazardous” – placing it among the most polluted cities in the world. The concentration of PM2.5 was found to be 35.6 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s safe limit.
