The crisis has prompted a flurry of responses from local authorities, as the country grapples with its most severe air pollution event in years. According to several Pakistani media reports the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority had declared smog a “calamity” and instituted emergency measures.

Pakistan ’s smog situation has gone from bad to worse as air pollution rose to a record in Lahore. Sensors tracked by the Swiss monitor IQAir recorded an air quality index of 1,300 in the country’s second-largest city at 5 p.m. local time, the highest this year and well beyond a level of 50 that is deemed safe.

The air quality index is alarmingly high in Pakistan and India. This week, smog has drastically reduced visibility, obscuring views of landmarks such as the Taj Mahal in Agra. Consequently, many flights have been delayed.

The average AQI of Lahore stood at 1300 on Thursday, making it the world's most polluted city for most of November 2024. Despite several measures by the government to curb air pollution, the city's AQI is gradually increasing every day.

Air pollution choking New Delhi has ground outdoor work to a halt and disrupted air travel in the Indian capital.