Record-high pollution sickens thousands in Pakistan's cultural capital of Lahore
Record-high air pollution in Pakistan’s Punjab province prompted authorities to keep government employees at home and close additional schools, as doctors reported an increase in people seeking treatment for smog-related ailments
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Record-high air pollution in Pakistan’s Punjab province prompted authorities to close additional schools and keep government employees at home Wednesday, as doctors reported an increase in people seeking treatment for smog-related ailments.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior minister in the Punjab province, urged residents to voluntarily wear face masks and avoid unnecessary travel, and said that "otherwise, the government will be forced into a complete lockdown.”
Lahore, the provincial capital of 14 million people and Pakistan's cultural hub, remained the world’s most polluted city on Wednesday with Air Quality Index readings of over 1,100. Anything over 300 is considered hazardous to health.
Authorities earlier in the week shut down schools in Lahore. On Wednesday they closed schools in 18 surrounding districts. Aurangzeb said 50% of government employees in Lahore were told to work from home until next week.
