LAHORE: Pakistan’s most populated province of Punjab on Wednesday closed all public and private schools for 10 days due to worsening air-quality index of the Lahore and surrounding areas.
The air quality index (AQI) of Lahore had once again topped global pollution charts today with 1115 AQI, more than 22 times higher than WHO standards.
The province, home to more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people, had previously closed primary schools in Lahore for a week due to the severe smog.
Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, in a press conference in Lahore, confirmed that schools and colleges would remain closed across several major divisions, including Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad.
The Punjab Environment Department issued an official notification announcing the closure of all educational institutions in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, and Narowal.
In addition to Lahore, schools in Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, and Vehari will also remain closed for the 10-day period.
According to the notification, the closures will affect in-person classes for students up to Class XII and A Levels, from November 7 to 17. During this time, educational institutions will transition to online learning to ensure the continuity of education.
To further combat the effects of the hazardous air, the Punjab government has also decided that 50% of government and private office employees will work from home.
These measures are part of a broader initiative by the provincial government to protect citizens, especially children, from respiratory issues and other health risks caused by the smog and poor air quality.
The Lahore AQI continued to remain in the ‘Hazardous’ category today with the city retaining its title as the most polluted in the world. An AQI above 300 considered hazardous.
What is the Air Quality Index?
The Air Quality Index (AQI) tells us how clean or polluted the air is, with scores ranging from 0 to above 500.
An AIQ below 50 is considered good ‘moderate’ between ’51 and 100′, ‘unhealthy for sensitive group’ at ‘101 and 150’, ‘unhealthy’ at ‘151-200’, very unhealthy at 201-300.
