Punjab educational institutions to remain closed till Nov 24

LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced to further extend the closure period of all educational institutions including schools till November 24 due to the heavy smog.

As per details, the increasing smog situation has prompted the provincial government to further extend the closure of all public and private educational institutions, including tuition centres, for another week.

Earlier the educational institutions were closed till Nov 17.

Smog has choked Punjab for weeks, and the air pollution is worsening continuously as the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Lahore hit a record high of 1600.

The School Education Department of Punjab issued a notification on Friday, which stated that, in the wake of prevailing smog conditions and reduced visibility, the closure and shifting to the online system of all educational institutions (public/private), including private tuition centres up to Higher Secondary Level (12 Grade) in the Province Punjab except in the territorial jurisdiction of District Murree, is hereby extended till 24.11.2024.

Several cities of Punjab continue to remain under the thick layer of smog and fog as Lahore remains the most polluted city in the world.

In the wake of smog, the 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.

The provincial government has also declared a health emergency in Multan and Lahore.

Unsatisfied with these measures, Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider while blasting the provincial government’s strategy to address the smog problem in the province, has demanded an immediate declaration of the smog emergency in the province.