The Punjab government has inaugurated Pakistan’s first state-of-the-art Air Quality Forecast System, a pioneering step aimed at curbing pollution and safeguarding public health. The system will provide weekly reports on weather and air quality in major cities, including Lahore and Faisalabad, offering guidance for both authorities and citizens on managing environmental risks.
Provincial Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the system combines real-time monitoring with advanced scientific models and will integrate with global platforms such as Windy and European forecasting models. “It will function in line with international air quality indices while addressing local requirements,” she noted.
Currently, data is being collected from 41 operational air quality monitoring stations across Punjab, with the network set to expand to 100 stations in the coming months. Alongside forecasts, the system will issue health advisories, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory conditions.
Aurangzeb stressed that the initiative would reinforce the scientific foundation for policymaking and is part of Punjab’s wider Smog Control Plan. The plan includes measures against crop residue burning, reduction of vehicular and industrial emissions, and stricter enforcement of environmental laws.
She appealed to the public for cooperation, warning of the severe health risks linked to smog. “During smog episodes, children, the elderly, and patients with respiratory illnesses should take extra precautions and avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure,” she advised.