Alhamdulillah - Lahore’s air shows signs of clearing as winds pick up
Assalamu alaikum - Good news from Lahore this morning: the breeze helped disperse much of the thick smog that had been hanging over the city for days, and officials say air quality has improved. The monitoring group IQAir showed Lahore’s AQI around 158 at mid-morning, which still puts it among the more polluted major cities globally, but better than the hazardous levels seen in November 2024 when readings topped 300 and schools and offices had to close.
This region experiences a recurring smog season from October to February, caused by crop-residue burning, vehicle and industrial emissions, and the stagnant winter weather that traps pollution. Authorities noted wind speeds near 11 km/h are helping to clear particles and slowly improve conditions. A senior provincial minister urged people to keep travel to a minimum and to avoid burning waste, even with this temporary relief.
Punjab has also rolled out targeted anti-smog measures this season - including the so-called “anti-smog gun” operations after trials, plus new enforcement and traffic steps aimed at cutting emissions in the city. The situation is similar to what happens in cooler months in other large cities, where temperature inversion keeps pollutants close to the ground. Pray for continued improvement and for everyone to take small steps to protect our shared environment.
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