Punjab CM Maryam to 'depart' for London on Nov 5

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz likely to depart for London for medical treatment on November 5, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, this would be Maryam’s first foreign visit since assuming office as Chief Minister of Punjab.

Sources revealed that Maryam is set to receive medical treatment in London for a persistent throat infection. Her week-long stay in London will include consultations with her personal physician.

The father-daughter duo is expected to return to Pakistan on November 13.

The development came at the time when Lahore keeps its top rank in the most polluted cities of the planet today with overall air quality index (AQI) reading 581 on Sunday morning.

Lahore has been on the top of the hazardous air quality list in the world.

According to the website, the areas surrounding the DHA have most polluted air as 1754 air quality reading recorded in DHA Phase 8. The air pollution reading remained 1258 in Gulbarg and 1404 in the vicinity of Askari 10.

READ: Lahore’s air quality remains hazardous with 581 AQI reading

AQI reading reported 493 at Mall Road and 529 recorded at Shimla Pahari vicinity.

Smog in Lahore causing serious health problems for residents toiling in polluted air and reported to have breathing difficulties, coughing and burning eyes.

Health experts have advised general public to use glasses and masks to avoid adverse impact of the dangerously unhealthy air.

AQI as high as 151-200 is considered unhealthy, while an AQI rating between 201 to 300 is more harmful and AQI over 300 has been extremely hazardous.

Lahore had the worst air quality of 1,067 at 9:30 in the morning on Saturday, according to the Swiss air quality watchdog’s real-time list of most polluted cities in the world, despite provincial government’s desperate attempts to fight off smog.