The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the relevant authorities to take steps against the smog in Multan, Punjab.
The court highlighted the role of tree plantation in combating air pollution and improving public health, particularly in urban areas like Multan, which are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation
In its detailed judgment, the court referred to landmark cases emphasising climate justice and inter-generational equity. It reiterated the constitutional right to a clean and sustainable environment under the newly inserted Article 9A, which guarantees every citizen the right to healthy ecosystem.
Earlier, a concerned citizen approached the court in response to the alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in Multan.
Smog level in Multan
In November, the AQI level reached 2000 in Multan and the city was covered in dense smog. As a result, the government imposed lockdown.
The government blamed India for the worsening air pollution and attributed the “unprecedented” situation in November 2024 to wind patterns.
Punjab Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EPCCD) said that a cross border wind phenomena was creating heavy smog in the south Punjab cities including Bahawalpur, Multan and Rajanpur.
It is pertinent to mention that the smog condition is now better in Multan and other regions.
Recently, Pakistan’s first ever ‘smog tower‘ was installed in Lahore in order to reduce air pollution and smog.
Smog choked Punjab for weeks in late 2024, sickening nearly 2 million people and shrouding vast swathes of the province in a toxic haze.
The dangerous smog is a byproduct of large numbers of vehicles, construction and industrial work as well as burning crops at the start of the winter wheat-planting season, experts say.
