ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan’s second city of Lahore on Sunday announced closure of all primary schools for a week due to record pollution, as smog in the city rose several times above the levels deemed dangerous for health.

For days, Lahore, a city of 14 million people, has been enveloped by dense smog, a mix of fog and pollutants caused by low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal stubble burning and winter cooling.

The air quality index, which measures a range of pollutants, exceeded 1,000 on Saturday, well above the level of 300 that is considered “dangerous” for human health, according to data from IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitor.

The provincial government in Punjab recorded peaks of over 1,000 on Sunday, which it considered “unprecedented” in the country’s most populous province.

“All the classes up to 5th grade in all schools (public, private & special education) located in the territorial jurisdiction of district Lahore shall remain closed for one (01) week with effect from 04-11-2024 (Monday) till 09-11-2024 (Saturday),” Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh, a senior environment protection official, said in a notification.

The situation will be assessed again next Saturday to determine whether to extend the closure of schools.

“This smog is very harmful for children. Masks should be mandatory in schools,” provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said at a news conference on Sunday. “We are keeping an eye on the health of children in senior classes.”

The provincial government had established smog counters at hospitals, she added.

“Public should strictly follow precautionary measures, the elderly, the sick and children should be especially careful,” Aurangzeb was earlier quoted as saying by her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

She urged people to wear face masks and not venture outside their homes unnecessarily, warning farmers against burning crop residues.

“Arrests and fines for violations will continue,” she added.

Breathing the toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the World Health Organization saying strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases can be triggered by prolonged exposure.

On Saturday, the concentration of deadly PM2.5 pollutants — fine particulate matter in the air that causes most damage to health — was more than 40 times the level deemed acceptable by the WHO. PM2.5 levels on Sunday morning exceeded that before decreasing slightly.

Last month, authorities banned schoolchildren from outdoor exercise until January and adjusted school hours to prevent children from traveling when the pollution is most punishing.

Children are particularly vulnerable because they have less developed lungs and breathe more rapidly, taking in more air relative to their size than adults.

Last week, the provincial environmental protection agency announced new restrictions in four “hot spots” in the city. Tuk-tuks equipped with polluting two-stroke engines are banned, as are restaurants that barbecue without filters.

Government offices and private companies will have half their staff work from home starting Monday. Construction work has been halted and street and food vendors, who often cook over open fires, must close at 8 pm.

— With additional input from AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan is in Uzbekistan on a three-day visit aimed at enhancing bilateral trade, commerce and economic ties with the Central Asian state, his ministry confirmed on Sunday, amid Islamabad’s efforts to attract foreign investment to improve its economic prospects.

Pakistan has increasingly sought to enhance regional connectivity to landlocked Central Asian states by providing them access to its warm water ports. It recently offered Central Asian states to become part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, under which Beijing has pledged around $65 billion in energy, infrastructure and other projects in Pakistan.

Khan arrived in Tashkent on Saturday evening marking the start of his three-day visit to Uzbekistan, the commerce ministry said.

“Key agenda items include strategic meetings with top Uzbek officials such as Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Jamshed Khujaev and Transport Minister Mr. Ilkhom Makhkamov to discuss pivotal projects in trade, investment, and logistics,” the ministry said.

Khan’s visit will feature the ninth session of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, and the fourth Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum, the commerce ministry said. The session will be co-chaired by Khan and Uzbek Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade Mr. Laziz Kudratov.

The ministry said that the Business Forum will host 33 Pakistani business delegates across various sectors for B2B meetings aimed at fostering new partnerships and enhancing trade.

“The minister’s visit reflects both nations’ dedication to deepening economic and technical collaborations and supporting mutual goals, including Uzbekistan’s ongoing WTO accession,” the ministry concluded.

Pakistan has increasingly sought to promote closer ties with regional allies to bolster its fragile $350 billion economy, which is currently suffering from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.

The South Asian country narrowly avoided a sovereign default last year when it secured a last-gasp $3 billion financial assistance package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Pakistan’s economic crisis saw its inflation reach double-digit figures, foreign exchange reserves plummet to historic lows and its currency weaken significantly against the US dollar over the past two years.