Residents across Punjab continue to grapple with worsening smog, as air pollution rises sharply with the onset of colder temperatures.

Despite government efforts to mitigate the impact, Lahore has once again topped the list of the world’s most polluted large cities, with Multan close behind, showing hazardous air quality levels that pose severe health risks.

The toxic haze in Punjab has begun spreading towards Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, affecting Peshawar and neighboring districts. As of Monday morning, Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) stood alarmingly high at 565, marking PM2.5 pollutants at more than 71 times the safe threshold set by the World Health Organization. Multan’s AQI was even higher at 955, while Peshawar recorded 509 — all surpassing the hazardous mark.

In addition to Lahore and Multan, thick layers of smog covered cities like Bahawalpur and Rajanpur, reducing visibility and disrupting road traffic. Motorways were closed at several points to prevent accidents, with major sections of M2, M3, M4, and M5 temporarily blocked, including parts of the Lahore-Sialkot motorway and M1 from Peshawar to Rashakai.

Upper Sindh and areas near Punjab’s border have also been affected, leading to further motorway closures from Sukkur to Rahim Yar Khan. Poor visibility has caused multiple accidents, including a fatal incident in Rahim Yar Khan, with authorities urging travelers to use caution and restrict movement to daytime hours where possible.

The dense fog has severely disrupted flight operations, especially at Faisalabad and Multan airports, with numerous delays, cancellations, and flight diversions reported. Thirty-six flights nationwide have been affected, and train services are also experiencing significant delays, including an eight-hour delay on the Pak Business train from Lahore to Karachi.

In response to the smog crisis, Punjab authorities have temporarily closed public spaces and banned outdoor activities in heavily impacted areas until November 17. Health officials report an increase in respiratory illnesses, eye irritation, and throat infections, advising residents to limit outdoor activities and wear masks.

The severe air pollution affecting South Asia annually stems from a combination of factors, including emissions, dust, and stubble burning. Authorities partially attribute the surge in pollution to toxic air drifting from neighboring India, where air quality has also reached hazardous levels.