Sir: Thick black curtains of smog have become a regular occurrence in many Pakistani cities, but the problem is particularly significant in Lahore. There are a number of reasons for the smog in Lahore last year, but trans-boundary smoke coming in from India as a result of stubble burning and firecrackers on Diwali was most significant. Contributing factors from within our own country also included stubble burning, along with dust from development projects and use of substandard fuels by small industries. The smog in Lahore last year was so bad that the city was without sunlight was several days and Lahore’s citizens started suffering from skin and eye problems. It seems that the problem will only get worse as time goes on but the Punjab Environment Protection Department (PEPD) is not ready to deal with the situation. The concerned authorities have to take action by increasing the budget and support for institutions dealing with climatic and environmental issues. Fatima A Ghafoor Turbat Published in Daily Times, October 22nd 2017.