The Punjab government has announced a three-day weekly lockdown in Lahore and Multan due to worsening smog. Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb compared smog’s health risks to COVID-19, urging precautions. Lockdowns will be enforced Friday to Sunday, with conditions monitored Monday to Wednesday. Immediate enforcement is possible if air quality deteriorates further, prioritizing public health amidst this crisis.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered commercial markets across Punjab to close by 8 pm from Monday to Saturday and remain closed on Sundays to combat smog. Justice Shahid Karim issued the order during a hearing on Lahore’s worsening smog. He also directed a shift to a work-from-home policy and banned smoke-emitting vehicles on motorways and Lahore’s ring road, noting that positive results may take up to five years.

The Punjab government announced a “green lockdown” in Lahore’s pollution hotspots to counter severe smog. With the city’s AQI hitting 532, restrictions were placed on areas including Davis Road, Empress Road, and Queen Mary Road. Bans cover construction, rickshaws, commercial generators, open food cooking after 8 pm, and dry sweeping to reduce pollution levels amid worsening air quality.

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