Flight operations across Punjab have been severely impacted due to dense smog, especially at Faisalabad and Multan airports.
Three flights have been redirected to alternative airports, while two flights from Multan have been canceled entirely due to visibility issues. In total, 36 flights across Pakistan are experiencing delays due to these weather conditions.
Two flights from Jeddah to Multan—SV 800 and SV 801—were canceled, while a private airline flight (PA 811) from Dubai to Multan was diverted to Karachi. Additionally, a Karachi-to-Multan flight (PK 330) was redirected to Lahore.
Flights from Faisalabad have also been affected. A flight from Sharjah (G9 562) was redirected to Lahore Airport, while a Multan-to-Dubai flight (FZ 326) departed nearly three hours behind schedule. Similarly, the Faisalabad-to-Sharjah flight (FZ 392) was delayed by three hours.
Several other flights are also experiencing extended delays. A Karachi-to-Islamabad flight (PK 300) was delayed by over three hours, with the return flight (PK 301) expected to leave late as well.
Additionally, the Karachi-to-Faisalabad flight (PK 340) and flights from Karachi to Jeddah, Istanbul, and Colombo have all encountered scheduling issues. Islamabad’s flights to destinations like Quetta, Najaf, Jeddah, Bahrain, Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur, and Dubai are also delayed by several hours.
Multan also ranked as the most polluted city in the world on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching an alarming level of 955 particulate matter, indicating extreme air pollution.