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The recent Diwali celebrations in India have had a severe impact on air quality across the border in Pakistan. Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, has seen its Air Quality Index (AQI) plummet to dangerous levels. On Tuesday morning, Lahore's AQI reached 266, making it the world's second most polluted city after New Delhi. The city's PM2.5 levels were reported at 187g/m3 by the Swiss monitoring group IQAir, 37 times above safe limits set by the World Health Organization. The Punjab government has attributed the worsening smog crisis to cross-border pollution from India. Marriyum Aurangzeb, a minister in Maryam Nawaz's Cabinet, said winds carrying pollutants from New Delhi and other northern Indian cities have significantly contributed to the deteriorating air quality. She called it a cross-border environmental challenge. She warned that winds from Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Haryana would continue to bring pollution into Lahore's air. In response, the provincial government has launched emergency measures, including deploying anti-smog guns and water sprinkling operations on major roads. At least nine departments are involved in these operations. Smog response squads have been formed to raid establishments allegedly polluting the air. The situation has also led to the arrest of 83 people by Lahore police for emissions from factories and burning tires and waste. Meanwhile, across the border in Delhi, air quality has also taken a hit after Diwali celebrations. PM2.5 levels have crossed hazardous limits with concentrations above 248 g/m3 in most areas. According to IQAir, New Delhi's reading was 442 on Tuesday morning, ranking it as the world's most polluted major city. Its PM 2.5 concentration exceeded 59 times the World Health Organization's recommended annual guideline.
