Punjab announces a ‘four-day’ holiday in smog-hit areas

Punjab announced a ‘Four-day’ holiday in smog-hit areas on Tuesday.

Caretaker Provincial Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the Punjab government has decided to observe a four-day holiday province’s areas hit hard by smog.

The holiday will be observed in the Lahore Division — Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Nankana Sahib districts.

It will also be applicable in Gujranwala and Hafizabad.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the interim Punjab chief executive said that the holidays will be observed from Thursday (Iqbal Day — a national holiday) till Sunday, as he hoped that it would help curb smog.

“Today, we will notify business holiday for offices and schools on November 10 in Lahore division, Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Kasur, Nankana Sahib districts, and Hafizabad while November 9 has already been declared a public holiday,” CM Naqvi said.

“A national holiday will be observed on November 9, and on November 10 we will shut schools and offices in Punjab,” he said.

“The schools are already closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but if a school isn’t closed this Saturday, then they will be asked to remain shut,” he said.

“We are also imposing a health emergency,” he added.

CM Naqvi said markets will be shut on Saturdays, and if the traders think it feasible, they can close shop on Friday as well.

“This is my appeal to the people: stay indoors for four days […] we have decided on this one-day holiday after deep deliberations,” Naqvi added.

He urged that if people want to remain in Lahore for these four days, they should stay inside their homes so that there is less pollution.

“People should wear masks in general, while children and the elderly should make sure that they wear it,” the CM added, noting that they were not shutting down factories.

Lahore has become the “worst smog-hit city” across the globe

The IQ Air showed that the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Lahore has spiked to 374, while Multan stood at 442. Pindi Bhattian’s AQI was at 257 and Rawalpindi 175.

An AQI of 101 to 150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and 301 to 500 is hazardous.