Primary schools in Lahore close for week as hazardous smog engulfs the city

In a drastic response to worsening air pollution, Pakistani authorities have ordered the closure of primary schools in Lahore for a week, citing the need to shield millions of children from the hazardous environment.

The country’s meteorological department has forecast that the current pollution levels will persist for the next six days, intensifying health risks, reports The Dawn.

The announcement, issued on Sunday (3 November), aims to safeguard the city’s youngest residents, numbering in the millions, from the toxic, smog-laden air.

According to Dawn, the duration of school closures will be reassessed on Saturday, with authorities monitoring the pollution levels closely to determine if an extension is necessary.

For the past several days, Lahore’s 14 million residents have been engulfed in a dense smog mixture, which has led to the city’s air quality index reaching the “dangerous” threshold.

The smog is a complex combination of low-grade diesel emissions, smoke from seasonal crop burning, and exhaust from heating systems, all trapped by Lahore’s winter weather conditions.

In response to the health emergency, the government has mandated that residents wear face masks, particularly to protect vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, who face increased risks from the pollutants.

Health experts have raised concerns over the impact on public health, with many at heightened risk for respiratory illnesses and other pollution-related diseases.

Punjab government recorded over a thousand cases of pollution-related respiratory infections on Sunday, a figure officials have termed "unprecedented." 

To curb emissions, authorities have implemented a ‘green lockdown,’ under which construction activities, commercial generators, and any use of coal or wood-burning stoves at food establishments are prohibited, aiming to reduce the city’s pollution levels.