The city of Lahore in Pakistan continues to rattle under rising smog levels, with air quality hovering in the hazardous zone for weeks, Geo News reported.
On Thursday, Lahore ranked number one on the most polluted city rankings, released by IQAir at a staggering 784.
Lahore's atmosphere has remained dangerous for its residents for weeks following its position as being one of the cities with the world's highest AQI. The pollution levels have time and again touched 1000 for the city.
As per Geo News, the prolonged exposure has increased hospital admissions for respiratory issues, with Lahore and other cities like Multan, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Gujranwala severely affected.
The persistent dangerous atmosphere has made it difficult for citizens to breathe, leaving them vulnerable to respiratory diseases, as they struggle to continue with their daily activities.
Doctors have advised the residents of Lahore to wear masks when stepping outside their homes.
Geo News reported that private and government educational institutions, teaching up to the higher secondary level, in the city as well as other districts of Pakistan's Punjab have also been closed by the government till November 17, as per a notification.
Meanwhile, the Punjab education department has ordered to keep tuition centres and academies closed.
"All educational institutions will shift to online classes," the notification read.
Geo News noted that the notification was issued after Aurangzeb, a day earlier, announced the closure in a presser at the Chief Minister's House.
She confirmed that schools in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Multan divisions will transition to online classes until 17 November, prioritising public health amidst rising pollution levels.
"Today, the air quality index (AQI) is 1,150. Yesterday, the air quality index remained at 500, which is very dangerous," Aurangzeb explained, urging parents to keep children indoors and shift to online schooling. She also emphasised that this shift is not a holiday but a measure to mitigate exposure to dangerous air pollutants, according to Geo News.
