LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced new school timings starting Monday as smog continues to intensify across the province. Daily sessions will now begin at 8:45am, the government said in a statement.
Lahore has remained the world’s most polluted city for the past three days, with air quality dropping to hazardous levels. The thick blanket of smog pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) to 412, prompting health alerts and a province-wide crackdown on pollution sources.
The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued a high alert for the eastern districts, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Khanpur. PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said the intensity of smog is likely to increase from November until mid-December, based on Meteorological Department forecasts.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat made the announcement on his X account, confirming the new winter school timings as 8:45am to 1:30pm.
Meanwhile, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said during a media briefing that the province had implemented a digital and AI-based smog forecasting system. Developed using data from previous years, the system is available to the public through the air quality portal and provides forecasts a day in advance, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Addressing public discourse on the issue, Marriyum said that smog was a seasonal occurrence caused by temperature inversions during the three-month period when cold air traps particulate matter close to the ground. This process, she explained, forms the thick haze commonly referred to as smog.
She added that it was inaccurate to assume a sudden spike in air pollution overnight, noting that AQI levels fluctuate throughout the day due to changing temperatures and air density.
Marriyum also stated that smog guns were only a temporary measure and that, unlike in previous years, the government was not resorting to school closures or lockdown-style restrictions this season. She said efforts were underway to improve Lahore’s air quality while maintaining normal public activity.
The minister emphasized that the government’s focus on smog control was not limited to the winter months, asserting that year-round mitigation efforts were being carried out to tackle the issue more effectively.
