Multan AQI still over 1,900 as Pakistan deals with apocalyptic smog

Multan became world's most polluted city in the country, baffling authorities as they tried to curb pollution.

Smog enveloped Lahore and Multan region in Pakistan after the air quality index rose to 760 and 1,914 respectively, reported news agency ANI.

Visitors walk out from the Bhumi Fort amid heavy smoggy conditions in Multan on November 9, 2024.(AFP)

Multan has become the world's most polluted city, due to which authorities are trying to find aways to control the pollution levels. On Friday morning, Multan's AQI crossed the 2000 mark on Air Quality Index reading, as per Dawn.

Authorities had not applied any methods to control the smog until now and citizens reportedly failed to wear their masks as well.

In Lahore, heavy smog led to wide-scale road closures for the second day consecutively as several points on roads were blocked for traffic. At least 9 people were injured in a road accident near Kalashah Kako on GT Road, Mureed K when a van crashed into a truck due to low visibility, reported ANI.

All markets and trade activities are closed today based on directives by the Lahore high court. On other days of the week, markets have been instructed to wrap up by 8 pm.

The situation in Pakistan's Punjab s even worse, with the government implementing measures to bring down pollution levels and issuing a high alert.

The state has closed parks and museums till November 17. The Punjab education department has ordered the closure of tuition centres and academies as well as private and public schools up to the higher secondary level across affected districts until November 17 too.

The concentration of PM2.5, a fine particulate matter in the air that negatively impacts health, was 947 micrograms per cubic metre, which is 189.4 times above the WHO guideline, as per IQAir.

The global health body considers anything over five micrograms per cubic metre as hazardous.