Health emergency declared in Multan, Lahore amid severe smog

LAHORE: Punjab has declared health emergency in Multan and Lahore due to severe smog, ARY News reported on Friday.

Addressing a press conference, Senior Minister for Information and Environment Protection Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that the Health Department has been issued directives to take immediate action.

She said that the smog has led to increase in respiratory issues, with over 600,000 people affected in Punjab in just one week, and 65,000 hospitalizations reported last week.

In response, paramedical staff leaves have been canceled, and OPD timings have been extended until 8 pm. Rescue 1122 services have also been ramped up, minister added.

Aurangzeb urged citizens to take the smog situation seriously, warning that the health risk is at an extreme level. The government has also requested people to avoid traveling on motorcycles unless necessary.

In the wake of smog, Punjab government earlier sealed dozens of shops, wedding halls and restaurants as authorities have intensified enforcement of early market closures at 8 p.m. to address smog issues.

Also read: Rawalpindi district administration has launched operation to address air pollution

According to details, 75 shops and several wedding halls sealed across Lahore for violating closing hours, while 14 restaurants were shut down for defying the ban on outdoor dining.

In Shalimar Tehsil, 9 shops and 3 restaurants were sealed for violations, while City Tehsil saw 4 shops sealed for staying open past designated hours.

In Ravi Tehsil, authorities sealed 12 shops, and in Raiwind Tehsil, 4 restaurants and 4 shops were closed for non-compliance.

Cantonment Tehsil saw 5 shops and 3 restaurants sealed, and in Saddar Tehsil, 5 shops were also shut down for breaching closing time regulations.