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LAHORE – Lahore ranked first among the world’s top ten most polluted cities in the world on Tuesday while the overall AQI in the city has reached 910.
Air quality index of DHA area of provincial capital was 1236, Johar Town 991, Syed Maratab Ali Road area 1256, Ghazi Road Interchange AQI was 904. Apart from this, Multan’s AQI has reached 800, while Peshawar has recorded 258, Faisalabad 252 and Islamabad 253.
The intensity of the smog in Punjab was also reported by the American media, which said that the intensity of smog has become so high in Pakistan that it has started to be seen even from space. Satellite images from the US space agency NASA showed thick layer of smog over Lahore and Multan that roads and buildings were engulfed in it.
In view of increasing air pollution, schools were closed in DG Khan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi divisions while Punjab government has ordered to shift 50% of the staff online.
Meanwhile, a traffic police spokesman said that the motorway was closed for all kinds of vehicular traffic from all sides of Lahore due to smog on Tuesday evening.
Punjab, particularly Lahore, has been victim of tremendous smog crisis since last month as the thick and toxic clouds are now visible from space through striking satellite imagery. In NASA’s satellite images, both the cities of Lahore and New Delhi are clearly visible shrouded in thick smog with no green cover. In addition to Pakistan, the thick smog clouds shrouding northern India are also visible in the satellite imagery shown from NASA worldview, CNN reported. Moreover, according to the Swiss air quality technology company IQAir on Tuesday, Lahore turned out to have the most polluted air in the world. Reportedly, Lahore and its 13 million residents have been choking for a couple of weeks; the air quality index has passed the 1,000 mark repeatedly this month – anything above 300 is considered hazardous.