According to the Dawn newspaper, Multan, the largest city in Pakistan’s Punjab province, experienced an unusually high air quality index (AQI) reading of over 2,000, and a high alert was subsequently issued.
Parks, museums and schools in Punjab were declared closed until November 17 in response to unprecedented and dangerous levels of pollution.
The Pakistani city of Multan was reported to have experienced extremely dangerous air pollution on Friday. According to measurements by the Swiss air quality monitor IQAir, the AQI reached an astonishing 2,135 in the early morning. The reading showed dangerous levels of contamination, well above World Health Organization (WHO) safety limits.
The main pollutant PM2.5 (a harmful fine suspended particulate matter) reaches 947 micrograms per cubic meter. This level is nearly 190 times higher than the safety limit recommended by the World Health Organization.
“World Health Organization guidelines consider anything above 5 micrograms to be hazardous.”
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Although the AQI had dropped to 980 by Friday evening, it was still well above the “hazardous” threshold of 300. Tan military camps all recorded similar alarming AQI readings.
Heavy smog also affected nearby areas such as Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Khanewal, reducing road visibility. Nishtar Hospital in Multan has responded to potential health issues by setting up a special smoke treatment counter.
In response to dangerous pollution levels, Multan deputy commissioner Wasim Hameed Sindhu implemented a “smart lockdown”. The measure requires markets to close by 8pm and empowers traffic police to take action against vehicles producing excessive smoke. Authorities have also cracked down on illegal activities that cause smog, such as straw burning, garbage incineration and the operation of brick kilns without approved technology.
Despite these efforts, residents report that the restrictions are not consistently followed, underscoring the challenges of mitigating a severe air pollution crisis.
