A thick blanket of toxic smog engulfed Lahore on Sunday, driving the city’s Air Quality Index to a hazardous 388 — one of the season’s worst readings — as health concerns soared for millions of residents. Officials said the pollution spike stems from both local emissions and pollutants drifting from India following Diwali festivities.
Punjab’s Environment Protection Agency has launched a strict crackdown to curb stubble burning, a key contributor to smog. Project Director Sajid Bashir confirmed that newly deployed quick-response forces, equipped with modern vehicles, will patrol fields around the clock to extinguish illegal fires immediately.
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He warned that farmers found burning crop residue would face swift legal action, including FIR registration, arrest, and fines, as authorities scramble to rescue Lahore’s choking air.
