Lahore, Pakistan, is always vibrant at night. However, this winter’s record air pollution has disrupted the rhythm of life in this city.
In the bustling city of Lahore, home to 14 million residents with a rich history and magnificent architecture, evenings hold a special significance. Busy markets throng with buyers and families gather in bustling “food streets.” The end of the year marks peak wedding season, with lavish ceremonies often extending late into the night.
However, a thick and suffocating layer of smog has obscured Lahore’s skyline this month, prompting the Pakistani government to implement restrictions that have altered the city’s lifestyle, according to the New York Times.
Markets and wedding halls must close by 8 PM. Outdoor dining is prohibited. Parks, zoos, historical sites, and museums are all required to shut down. Comprehensive weekend lockdowns will also be enforced in the coming days, reminiscent of restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“People here usually shop after 4-5 PM when men finish work,” said Mr. Chaudhry Kabir Ahmed, head of the Ichhra market traders’ association in Lahore. “Now the government is asking us to close by 8 PM. It’s difficult to change people’s habits quickly like that. If we stay open late, we face sudden inspections and heavy fines.”
State of Emergency
Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, frequently ranks among the most polluted cities in the world. According to IQAir, a Swiss climate monitoring group, Lahore has reached record pollution levels in recent weeks, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to 1,100 on November 14. An AQI above 150 is considered “unhealthy,” and above 300 is deemed “hazardous.”
The Punjab province borders northern India, and both regions face alarming levels of air pollution. On November 18, the AQI in the Indian capital, New Delhi, hit 1,785, prompting the city’s chief minister to declare “a health emergency.”
In Lahore, the concentration of fine particulate matter in the air—particles that can penetrate deeply into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream—has recently exceeded safe levels set by the WHO by over 100 times, said Christi Chester Schroeder, air quality science manager at IQAir.
Even outside the typical smog season from November to January, the air in this city remains polluted. Lahore has not recorded a day rated as “good air quality” since July 2021, according to Ms. Chester Schroeder.
On November 15, provincial authorities declared air pollution a health crisis, reporting that nearly 2 million people have fallen ill. Hospitals have extended working hours, increased respiratory medication supplies, and equipped ambulances with respiratory support equipment, said Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior provincial official.
Recently, UNICEF also issued a stark warning about the health risks facing over 11 million children under five in the province. Emergency rooms in Lahore are overcrowded with patients—many of them children—suffering from ailments such as breathing difficulties, sore throats, persistent coughs, and eye irritations.
Sumaira, 25 years old, holding her child at Services Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. (Photo: New York Times).
“My one-month-old baby is having trouble breathing,” Sumaira, 25, said while holding her child at Services Hospital. “I don’t know what the exact cause is, but I see countless other children with similar problems. I just pray for better weather.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Ahmad Rafay Alam, an environmental lawyer in Lahore and air quality expert, has written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging the government to take immediate action. Citing scientific studies, Mr. Alam stated that approximately 45% of year-round air pollution in Lahore comes from vehicle emissions, primarily due to the use of low-quality fuel. Another 40% is attributed to industrial emissions and energy production.
He noted that solutions to these issues are “neither cheap nor quick.”
However, experts argue that the task of improving air quality cannot solely depend on one nation in the region. In 1998, South Asian countries, including Pakistan and India, signed the Male Declaration to cooperate in addressing cross-border air pollution.
Nevertheless, the effectiveness of this agreement has been limited by funding shortages and political will. This issue has garnered renewed attention as Punjab’s chief minister, Ms. Maryam Nawaz, recently called for “smog diplomacy” with India.
“The Fifth Season”
For most residents of Lahore, smog has become a relentless reality. The months of toxic air are now colloquially known as “the fifth season.”
In a cramped home on the outskirts of Lahore, just 11 kilometers from the Indian border, a family of ten endures the suffocating air seeping through cracked windows and doors.
“The air outside is thick and foul, but it’s impossible to avoid it indoors as well,” shared Ms. Amna Bibi, 60, the eldest in the family. Having lived in Lahore for over two decades, she has witnessed the worsening smog each winter.
“Every year, breathing becomes harder,” she lamented.
Schools in Lahore have to close due to air pollution. (Photo: New York Times).
As schools across the city shut down due to toxic air, children are confined indoors or play on the streets, even as many suffer from illnesses like sore throats.
Families like Ms. Bibi’s in low-income neighborhoods cannot afford protective measures, such as air purifiers, which are already a luxury for wealthier residents.
Meanwhile, some believe that the smog is a sign of divine displeasure. At a prayer service last week, hundreds of thousands of Muslims across Punjab conducted a special prayer ritual to beseech rain to alleviate the pollution.
“Floods, smog, earthquakes—all are signs of God’s wrath against us. It’s time to pray for forgiveness,” said Syed Hashim, 23, a university student who participated in the prayer.
In addition to emissions from vehicles and industrial activities, the burning of straw has long been identified as a major contributor to winter air toxicity in Lahore. However, many farmers feel they are being unfairly blamed.
“Why waste time and money blaming us? Why not focus on larger sources of pollution, like traffic and industry?” questioned Mr. Ghulam Mustafa, 41, a farmer on the outskirts of Lahore. “On the contrary, the smog has damaged our crop quality, and now we have to spend more money on expensive chemicals for spraying.”
For Maskeen Butt, a 29-year-old software engineer, the smog and government-imposed restrictions have complicated plans for his wedding in mid-December.
“Nightlife in Lahore is part of the wedding experience—shopping for bridal dresses, jewelry, and decorations, as well as sending out invitations, all late into the night,” he said. “Now, with stores required to close early, it’s nearly impossible for someone like me who works all day.”
The early closure of wedding halls also frustrates Butt. “Guests never arrive early. This makes everything rushed and far less festive than what my wedding should be,” he said.
