AQI deteriorates in New Delhi; Pakistan braces for smog, chill

WEB DESK: As the Diwali festivities continue in India, air pollution in New Delhi has reached alarming levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to a hazardous 821. In Pakistan, Lahore is also feeling the effects, recording an AQI of 225, a concerning figure for residents already grappling with poor air quality.

Yesterday, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had also shared these concerns along with the provincial government’s anti-smog plan. Today, the Smog Monitoring Center in Pakistan has issued an advisory, urging the public to take precautions, including wearing masks, as air pollution levels rise across the region.

“The smoke generated by fireworks during Diwali is being carried by eastern winds towards Pakistan, significantly impacting air quality, especially in the northern and central regions,” the advisory noted.

The winds from Dharamshala, India, are moving at a speed of 5 kmph, pushing the smoke toward Gujranwala, Lahore, and Faisalabad. Meanwhile, winds from Ludhiana and Sri Ganganagar, traveling at a speed of 6 kmph, are heading towards Sahiwal and Burewala. Further south, winds from Haryana are affecting areas like Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, and Multan.

The Smog Monitoring Center has urged people, especially in the affected regions, to stay indoors if possible, and take all necessary measures to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the toxic air.

DRY, COLD WEATHER PERSISTS ELSEWHERE

In addition to these air quality concerns in some regions of Punjab, the majority of the country will experience dry weather, but it will be cold in the hilly areas during the night and early morning hours.

Going region by region, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicts that Islamabad and surrounding areas will see dry weather with clear skies.

In most districts of Punjab, the weather will stay dry. However, Murree, Galiyat, and nearby areas will experience partly cloudy skies, with cold temperatures during the night and morning. Smog is expected in the northeastern districts, while light fog may affect Sialkot and its surrounding areas during the night and morning.

Sindh will continue to experience hot and dry weather, with no significant rainfall expected. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will see dry weather across most areas, with cold conditions in the hilly regions at night and early morning. However, light rain is expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including areas like Chitral, Dir, Kohistan, Swat, Malakand, and Kurram.

Weather conditions in Balochistan will be dry across most of the province, with cold temperatures in the northern regions during the night and early morning. In Kashmir, the weather will be partly cloudy, with light rain expected at a few locations. Similar to Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) will experience partly cloudy skies, and light rain is expected in some areas.