CM Maryam calls for collaboration with Indian Punjab 11 smog hotspots targeted; ‘green ring’ planned around Lahore
Restrictions on barbecues, marriage halls, and commercial generators
Experts call measures ‘insufficient, poorly planned’
LAHORE: In a bid to curb rising pollution, the Punjab government has introduced a “green lockdown” across designated smog hotspots in Lahore, restricting activities at barbecue joints, motorcycle-rickshaws, and marriage halls—although air quality experts have criticized the measures as inadequate.
The initiative, launched Wednesday, aims to tackle Lahore’s worsening air pollution, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching a high of 588 at 3 a.m. The lowest AQI recorded was below 200 at 5 p.m., but still exceeded international air quality standards.
Punjab’s Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that the lockdown would begin Thursday, targeting 11 areas, including Shimla Hill, the most affected zone. The lockdown includes bans on construction near Shimla Hill, limits on commercial generators and Qingqi rickshaws, and restrictions on open barbecue after 8 p.m. Marquees and marriage halls must close by 10 p.m., and only wet sweeping will be used by the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) to reduce dust.
To further address emissions, Ms. Aurangzeb outlined a “green ring” around Lahore, where tree plantations will form a “wall of trees,” each geo-tagged, aimed at enhancing air quality. She also highlighted efforts to collaborate with industries, expand afforestation in industrial zones, and create a “Green Force” involving students and educational institutions.
Enforcement of the new rules has begun, with two factories shut down, fines imposed, and several vehicles impounded or fined for excessive emissions. Additional measures include the planned rollout of electric buses and e-bikes, and e-challans for smoke-emitting vehicles.
Experts, however, view these measures as insufficient, with the Pakistan Air Quality Experts’ Group warning that the plan lacks the scale and planning necessary for meaningful impact.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has called for cross-border collaboration with Indian Punjab, advocating for climate diplomacy to address the shared crisis. She noted that “smog does not recognize borders” and emphasized the need for joint efforts, particularly given that polluted air from Amritsar and New Delhi frequently drifts into Lahore.
“Smog is a humanitarian issue, not a political one,” said Ms. Sharif, noting her intent to reach out to Indian Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to address the crisis collaboratively.
Story by Imran Gabol | Zulqernain Tahir
