Lahore experiences poor visibility in the morning owing to foggy conditions. The city ranked fifth among top ten most polluted cities of the world on the Air Quality Index (AQI). An average air quality reading of Punjab’s capital city recorded 181. Air quality wise Karachi ranked third today among the world’s cities with most polluted air. Thick fog engulfed Lahore that affected flight operations and five flights were diverted to Islamabad including flights from Istanbul, Kuwait, Kuala Lumpur, Jeddah and Sharjah. Moreover, two flights of PIA destined for Jedda and Madina will now take off from Islamabad instead of Lahore.

Passengers of these flights have been informed to reach Islamabad by road for their flights. It is to be mentioned here that AQI as high as 151-200 is considered unhealthy, while an AQI reading between 201 to 300 is harmful and AQI rate over 300 mark is extremely hazardous. According to experts, the air becomes heavier in the winter as compared to summer, causing poisonous particles in the atmosphere to move downwards and making the air polluted.

As a result, a layer of polluted particles, including large amounts of carbon and smoke, covers an area. Smoke produced by factories and with burning coal, garbage, oil or tyres enters the atmosphere and the impact of it appears at the onset of winter and remains till the season’s end, experts said. Thus, air pollution reaches to extremely dangerous levels in winter, severely compromising air quality.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP