Poor Visibility: Flights diverted to Islamabad from Lahore due to smog

LAHORE: Air pollution in the shape of smog engulfed Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport forcing diversion of three flights to Islamabad, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to airport sources, flight number QR 628 from Doha to Lahore was diverted to Islamabad airport due to poor visibility caused by intense smog.

The flights from Damam and Urumqi were also diverted towards Islamabad from Lahore for the same reason.

Moreover, flight number PK 650 from Islamabad to Lahore was stopped from taking off, while flight number SV 735 from Jeddah to Lahore also facing delay due to visibility problem caused by smog.

The visibility range at the motorway from Lahore to Sheikhupura has reached to 100 metres as fog engulfed the area in the morning.

A spokesperson of the Motorway Police has advised people to avoid unnecessary travel due to poor visibility, which could become dangerous for the commuters.

Lahore is facing worst environment emergency these days due to smog causing visibility problems and posing serious threat to public health.

The city’s Air Quality Index was recorded below 170 while in some areas it was recorded as high as 350 in the morning, which later reduced around noon.

A spokesman of WWF-Pakistan, a non-governmental organisation working to conserve the environment, recently said that environmental issues in Punjab were not only affecting routine life but also causing respiratory diseases among residents. He said that around 1000 bricks baked in coal-fired kilns pollute at least an area of two kilometres with toxic smoke.

Multiple factors such as smoke from brick kilns, burning of stubs of crops, smoke emitting vehicles, factory emissions etc. are some of the main factors that have exacerbated smog problem.