Rising smog levels have left Lahore enveloped in hazardous air, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassing 800 early Thursday morning and remaining dangerously high at 784 by 9 a.m., according to Swiss air quality monitor IQAir.

The city has been topping global pollution charts, with AQI levels often exceeding 1,000, a situation worsened by pollution-carrying winds from neighboring India, noted Punjab’s Senior Minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb.

The prolonged smog exposure has severely impacted residents’ health, leading to increased hospitalizations for respiratory issues. Lahore, along with other Punjab cities like Multan, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Gujranwala, has faced heightened air pollution, making it difficult for citizens to breathe and leaving them vulnerable to respiratory diseases.

In response, authorities have directed residents to wear masks outdoors and announced temporary closures for all educational institutions teaching up to the higher secondary level in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Multan divisions. Schools will shift to online classes until November 17, according to a government notification.

“This shift is not a holiday but a critical step to reduce exposure to dangerous pollutants,” Aurangzeb said in a press briefing, where she also urged parents to keep children indoors.

In addition to school closures, a mask mandate for public spaces and a 50% work-from-home policy for private and public offices have been introduced, with all government meetings now held online.

The Punjab government’s Smog War Room, a recently established monitoring hub, is actively coordinating efforts across health, agriculture, and environmental departments to mitigate pollution levels. The situation remains critical, with authorities prioritizing public health as they battle Lahore’s persistent smog crisis.