Punjab Clamps Down on Outdoor Activities Amid Severe Air Pollution

Punjab province in Pakistan has enforced a ban on most outdoor activities and ordered early closure of shops to tackle illnesses from severe air pollution. Lahore, ranked as the planet's most polluted city, among others in the region, faces alarming levels of respiratory and conjunctivitis cases.

In a bid to combat alarming health issues arising from severe air pollution, Pakistan's Punjab province has announced new restrictions. The directive includes banning most outdoor activities and ordering shops, markets, and malls in certain areas to close early.

Educational institutions, parks, and zoos have already been shut until November 17 in parts of the region, notably Lahore, which ranks as the world's most polluted city according to IQAir's live data. The government has reported a concerning rise in cases of respiratory diseases and eye infections across Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala.

The Punjab government's recent measures aim to curb rising health threats due to conjunctivitis, with exemptions for essential services and religious activities. Lahore's air quality index remained hazardous on Monday with significant pollution levels still present throughout South Asia during winter, exacerbated by neighboring India's pollution.

(With inputs from agencies.)