Pak imposes ban on public places in Lahore after AQI soars beyond 1000

In Pakistan, the Punjab provincial government has imposed an immediate ban on public access to parks, zoos, playgrounds, historical sites, and other public spaces in Lahore and surrounding districts amid worsening air quality. 

This decision comes as Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared beyond 1000 in several areas, marking it as the world’s



most polluted city. Pakistan’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab issued the directive following an alarming increase in air pollution. The smog emergency, in effect across the province, includes the closure of all schools through November 17. Hospitals are witnessing a surge in patients with respiratory issues.