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Schools to shut down as air pollution reaches unprecedented levels in Lahore, Pakistan.

Unprecedented Air Pollution Levels Prompt Emergency Measures in Lahore Authorities in Lahore, Pakistan's second-largest city, have announced the closure of primary schools for one week due to "unprecedented" levels of air pollution. The decision comes as the city, home to 14 million residents, is shrouded in smog, a hazardous mix of fog and pollutants from low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from agricultural burning, and winter weather conditions.

The air quality index (AQI) soared to over 1,000 on Saturday, significantly surpassing the "dangerous" threshold of 300, according to data from IQAir. The Punjab government recorded similar peaks of over 1,000 on Sunday, marking the situation as "unprecedented."

Jahangir Anwar, a senior environmental protection official in Lahore, stated, "Weather forecasts indicate that wind patterns will remain unchanged for the next six days. Therefore, all government and private primary schools in Lahore will be closed for a week." He highlighted the harmful effects of the smog on children and stressed the importance of mandatory mask-wearing in schools. Punjab senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb mentioned that health monitoring for senior students would continue, with smog counters set up in hospitals.

Prolonged exposure to toxic air poses severe health risks, with the World Health Organization (WHO) linking it to strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses. On Saturday, the concentration of PM2.5 pollutants—fine particulate matter that poses the greatest health threat—was over 40 times higher than the WHO's acceptable level. Although PM2.5 levels decreased slightly on Sunday morning, they remained alarming.

In response to the crisis, the provincial environmental protection agency imposed new restrictions in four "hot spots" within the city, banning polluting tuk-tuks and unfiltered barbecuing at restaurants. Additionally, government offices and private companies are required to have half of their staff work from home starting Monday.

Children are particularly susceptible to the effects of air pollution due to their developing lungs and higher respiratory rates, which lead them to inhale more air relative to their body size than adults. Last month, authorities prohibited outdoor exercise for schoolchildren until January and adjusted school hours to mitigate exposure during peak pollution times. Research from the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute indicates that pollution levels exceeding WHO standards can shorten the life expectancy of Lahore residents by an average of 7.5 years.