Following better visibility, a number of Punjabi roadways have reopened, a spokeswoman for the Motorway Police said.

According to Motorway Police spokesperson Imran Ahmed, Motorway M11 has reopened for traffic from Lahore to Kamonki, while Motorway M4 has also started up again. Additionally, Multan to Zahir Peer is now accessible via Motorway M5.

When driving, Motorway Police have asked drivers to use caution and follow safety procedures.

A multitude of flight cancellations and delays has resulted in considerable disruptions to air travel from Karachi and Lahore airports, leaving numerous passengers stuck and generating a ripple effect on both international and local routes.

Seventeen flights operated by different airlines have been cancelled in Karachi within the last 24 hours. Both international and national airlines were among those impacted.

Five foreign flights, including destinations such as Baku, Baghdad, Muscat, Colombo, and Doha, were cancelled due to a confluence of issues, including a dearth of aircraft among private airlines and insufficient passenger volume. The following flights were cancelled:

Flight 410 of an international carrier to Baghdad

Flight 152 to Colombo operated by an alternative international airline

Flight EK 605 to Dubai, conducted by a foreign carrier

Flight QR 611 to Doha has also been cancelled by an international airline.

PIA flight PK 503 to Gwadar has been affected. Private airline services had significant disruptions, resulting in the cancellation of several internal routes, including flights from Karachi to Islamabad and Lahore. These comprised:

Private airline ER 500 en route to Islamabad

Private airline PF 143 en route to Lahore

Private airline ER 522 en route to Lahore

Private airline flight PF 125 destined for Islamabad
Numerous other private carriers have experienced cancellations owing to insufficient passenger volumes, as travellers seek alternative routes.

Airport officials reported that the persistent pollution in Lahore and other areas of Punjab had resulted in a temporary suspension of flight operations; however, improved weather conditions had facilitated smoother operations in certain places.

The situation in Lahore was similarly dire, with numerous planes cancelled or delayed. Fly Jinnah flight 500, en route from Lahore to Sharjah, was cancelled, whereas AirSial aircraft PF 716 to Jeddah experienced a significant 13-hour delay, presently set to depart at 10 p.m.

Likewise, Serene Air flight ER 812 to Jeddah is now scheduled to depart six hours late at 2 p.m.

Additional delays encompassed AirSial aircraft PF 142 from Lahore to Karachi, which is now scheduled to depart three hours late, at 1 p.m. The delays and cancellations have been ascribed to operational restrictions; nevertheless, airport officials are striving to ensure the remaining planes operate seamlessly.

The deteriorating smog situation in Punjab has prompted Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb to declare a health emergency in Lahore and Multan, among other immediate emergency steps.

Speaking at a news conference in Lahore, Marriyum underlined the seriousness of the issue by claiming that the air quality index (AQI) in Lahore and several other cities had reached dangerously high levels, with Lahore’s AQI reaching a startling 2800.

“The countries that reduced smog received a lot of cooperation from their citizens,” she said, advising people to spend Saturday and Sunday at home. She also emphasized the media’s and actors’ and artists’ contributions to the fight against the health threat.

Marriyum claimed that she put on a mask and went out in Lahore herself, where she saw people having a good time. Because they ride motorcycles and cars without masks, they are unaware that smog can kill them. She emphasized that the mask prohibition should be enforced by the business sector.

“I shall exhort everyone who is against smog to band together. Taking everything into account, the decisions will go into effect starting next week,” the minister declared.

Important actions revealed
With the haze in Lahore and other Punjabi cities getting worse, the minister announced the following measures:

All furnace-based facilities and brick kilns in Lahore and Multan have been closed since Friday in an effort to reduce pollution.

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, if nothing changes by Wednesday, there will be a total lockdown.

It will only be possible to eat at restaurants until 4 p.m.; after then, takeout will be available.

All Punjabi schools, colleges, and universities—aside from Murree—have extended their holidays and been directed to switch to online instruction.

As of Friday, construction has been prohibited in Multan and Lahore.

Holidays for paramedical workers have been canceled, and hospital outpatient departments will now be open until 8 p.m.

EAQ oil projects and e-bikes are in the works. Lahore is introducing e-buses in response to the environmental condition.

More than 40,000 smog-affected people are receiving treatment in hospitals, according to Marriyum Aurangzeb, who also recommended people to minimize their outside activities and wear masks, especially when riding motorcycles. She stated her desire to testify before the Lahore High Court, which is considering a case pertaining to smog, and inform the judge of the government’s actions.

“A public campaign called ‘Detox Lahore’ has been launched to raise awareness about smog and its life-threatening effects,” she said, adding that “currently, our health has turned into a smog health crisis.” “People are requested to go out on motorcycles only for essential work, and that too while wearing masks,” she stated.

The chief minister began working on smog in March, Aurangzeb emphasized, and a plan was developed by considering all the variables that contribute to haze. A 10-year climate change and smog policy was put into place by the Punjab government. It included converting brick kilns to zigzag technology after destroying 800 kilns to cut emissions, encouraging eco-friendly transportation by introducing electric buses and e-bikes in Lahore, and giving farmers super seeders at 60% off the price to cut down on stubble burning.

The chief minister was personally reviewing the departments’ adherence to the smog policy, she said. In Punjab, there was no rule requiring motorcycles to be inspected for fitness, and vehicles were not checked. “We have received three gas analysers, which will be given to the traffic police for inspecting vehicles,” Aurangzeb stated.

As the two nations are unable to alter the wind direction, the minister emphasized that smog is not just a problem in Pakistan but also impacts people’s life in Punjab, India. “Smog knows no borders; it’s a matter of life and death for both countries,” she said, calling for collaboration to face the threat.

In order to secure adherence to the mask mandate and other measures, Marriyum Aurangzeb made an appeal to the public and commercial sectors. She threatened to implement further stringent measures, including a potential lockdown that would last until Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, if the smog situation did not improve by the middle of the week.

In closing, Aurangzeb emphasized the importance of teamwork, saying, “Countries that eradicated smog were successful due to public cooperation. We must follow suit in order to safeguard our future and well-being.