The 62-storey tower at the Bahria Icon Tower complex is seen through smog and air pollution on a morning in Karachi, Pakistan, November 15, 2024. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan's Punjab declared a health emergency due to toxic smog on Friday, banning construction, shutting schools for another week and moving universities online, with a three-day lockdown possible, the province's senior minister said on Friday.
Punjab battles toxic smog every winter as cold air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from illegal stubble burning on fields. Air quality has deteriorated drastically in recent weeks and the province's capital Lahore currently ranks as the world's most polluted city, says IQAir.
