Pakistan is choked by toxic pollution, closing cities

 Pakistan is choked by toxic pollution, closing cities

Thousands of people in eastern Pakistan have been ill due to toxic pollution, prompting officials to close several towns for the remainder of the week.

The second-biggest city in the nation, Lahore, is experiencing dangerously high levels of smog.

Three cities, including Lahore, will have their offices, parks, malls, and schools closed till Sunday, according to an edict from the Punjab province administration.

The Indian state of the same name is bordered by the Punjab province of Pakistan.

Lahore's Air Quality Index, which gauges the amount of tiny particulate matter in the air, has been circling the 400 mark over the previous several days. AQI values of 100 or below are often regarded as good. Amritsar, an Indian city, is next to Lahore.

Toxic smog's effects are also felt in North India.

Delhi, the capital of India, now has dangerously high levels of air pollution. The Indian capital's air quality index on Tuesday was 300, almost nearing the dangerous range of 301–500. This was on November 7.

According to several Lahore residents who spoke with BBC Urdu, the toxic air is a regular occurrence that has negatively impacted their everyday activities and health.

"It seems like this toxic environment has permeated our daily existence," said Ameer Hamza, a salesperson whose job necessitates him to spend a significant portion of the day riding a motorbike.

"After a long day of marketing things, I get home to find that the air pollution has inflamed and reddened my eyes. Furthermore, my frequent illness interferes with my ability to do my job. I'm now treating a cold, sore throat, and cough," he said.

According to Sarah Zeeshan, her daughter, who is one and a half years old, has been having trouble eating and drinking because of the pollution, which has caused blisters to appear all over her lips.

Long-term health effects from persistent pollution exposure might include lung cancer.

According to some experts, a major contributor to the air pollution is the burning of agricultural leftovers in order to make way for the winter planting season.

Local media indicated last week that Pakistan will bring up the matter diplomatically with Indian officials, but it did not provide any further information.

However, experts have pointed out that farmers in Pakistan also use stubble burning to get ready for a new planting season, just as they do in India.

In Punjab, pharmacies, supermarkets, and petrol stations are still operating. If people must go outdoors, masks are suggested by the authorities.

Government initiatives to eliminate pollution, according to environmentalist Rafi Alam, are "made only in haste, which are of no use".

"How can you solve an issue before you acknowledge that it exists? Will the pollution issue be resolved by watering the streets or calling off classes three days a week?" said he.

The University of Chicago's Air Quality Life Index estimates that in Pakistan's most polluted areas, including Lahore, air pollution reduces life expectancy by over seven years.