Dangerous Air Pollution Shuts Schools in Lahore

Lahore, Pakistan —(Map)

Eastern Pakistan and Northern India are dealing with an extreme air pollution problem this year. In Pakistan, the air is so dangerous to breathe that the government has closed schools and parks until the air quality improves.

Satellite pictures from NASA show a large gray cloud of pollution spreading across the skies of northern India and eastern Pakistan. The pollution is especially bad in Punjab, where around 127 million of Pakistan’s people live. The smog is so thick in some places that it blocks out buildings and makes it hard to see down the street.

One way to measure air pollution is the US Air Quality Index (AQI). It goes from 0 to 500. Zero is “Good”, 150 is “Unhealthy”, and from 300 to 500 is “Hazardous” (dangerous). In many parts of Punjab, the pollution is so bad that the air quality has gone over 1,000.

The air pollution, or “smog”, holds dangerous chemicals, as well as billions of tiny bits of dust and pollution. These tiny particles, which can be smaller than 1/30 of the width of a human hair, are especially dangerous.

Breathing brings these particles deep into the lungs, where they can cause many different sicknesses, from coughs, headaches, and sore throats to asthma, lung problems, and even cancer.

The air pollution in Pakistan this year has already been making many people sick. In Punjab alone, over 30,000 people have gone to the hospital because the dirty air has caused breathing problems.

The air pollution in Pakistan this year has already been making many people sick. In Punjab alone, over 30,000 people have gone to the hospital because the dirty air has caused breathing problems. Above, people walking in Lahore on November 7, 2024.

Punjab’s government has closed schools and government buildings until November 17. Over the last few days, the government has also closed parks, museums, and zoos. People have also been told to avoid doing things outside, including playing sports or eating at outside tables. Most stores have been ordered to close by 8:00 at night.

The air pollution is dangerous for everyone, but it’s especially bad for children. “Their lungs are still developing,” said one nurse at a Lahore hospital. “And this air could cause lifelong health issues.”

The air pollution in Pakistan and India always gets worse in the winters, when winds slow down, and colder air sinks closer to the ground, bringing the smog down with it.

The air pollution in Pakistan and India always gets worse in the winters. Air pollution sources include burning coal for energy, the exhaust from cars and trucks, as well as smoke from fires set by farmers in India. Above, heavy smog on a road in Lahore on November 10, 2024.

And there is lots of smog. Air pollution sources include burning coal for energy, and the exhaust from cars and trucks. In Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, pollution also comes from brick-making factories.

About 30% of the pollution in Lahore comes from India. In the fall, farmers in India often clear their land by burning straw covering their fields, creating a huge amount of pollution. This has been banned in India, but farmers are still doing it. NASA says it expects to spot up to 18,500 fires like these this year.

The Punjab government has asked India for help in solving the problem. That could mark an important change, since the two countries have had many disagreements in the past. But Maryam Nawaz, the Chief Minister of Punjab says the problem isn’t just political. “The winds don’t know there’s a border in the middle,” she says.