LAHORE – At least six flights have been cancelled while 29 others delayed due to heavy smog in Lahore and other areas of Punjab.
The smog and air pollution caused huge trouble to the flight operations.
According to flight operation reports, the PIA flights from Lahore to Riyadh have been canceled due to poor visibility caused by the dense smog. Additionally, the Multan and Faisalabad airports have been facing continued operational disruptions today. As a result, four flights have been delayed.
Faisalabad to Dubai flight has been delayed by three hours while the Karachi to Dubai flight PK213 was delayed by two and a half hours.
The smog continued to persist in Punjab, with air pollution severely affecting the central and southern regions of the province.
The smog disrupted the daily life and normal activities.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), Lahore ranks as the second most polluted city in Pakistan while several other cities in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also grappled with dense fog and smog.
Multan now ranked as the most polluted city in Pakistan.
The AQI in Multan reached a record-high 1327, significantly worse than most other cities in the country.
Despite the ongoing green lockdown, Lahore remains the second most polluted city, with air pollution levels in the city reaching as high as 760.
Due to dense fog and smog, several sections of the motorway have been closed. The M2 motorway, from Lahore to Kot Sarwar, has been shut down, and the M3 motorway, from Samandri to Dera Khana, is also experiencing heavy fog. The Lahore-Sialkot motorway is also facing smog and fog disruptions.
In response to the smog crisis, the Lahore High Court ordered that all markets in Punjab close by 8pm each day. Besides it, all markets across the province will remain closed on Sundays.
In the 18 districts of the four divisions most affected by smog, all recreational areas, including sports fields, museums, and zoos, will remain closed until November 17. The Lahore Walled City Authority has also suspended all tourism and recreational programs and events in the city until November 17.
