In recent times, many parts of the world are experiencing drastic levels of air pollution, which includes smog. Smog is the natural environmental phenomenon that is experienced by many areas in the winter months, but due to an increase in population and the use of technology, air pollution is increasing day by day. This increase in pollution converts the fog into smog, the mixture of smoke and fog. It is the polluted air formed by human activities like burning of coal, excessive use of vehicles and many others. Activities like the burning of coal in industries, vehicular smoke, crop burning, construction, firework and smoke of brick kilns are the primary sources that add fundamental particles to the atmosphere for smog (Barry, 2016). Smog affects the activities and health of people. According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution causes acute diseases like asthma and respiratory ailments. Smog also results in the itching of eyes, dry cough, sneezing, breathlessness, and chest discomfort. The air pollutants responsible for smog are in gaseous forms: nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone and volatile organic compounds. Vehicular emission also plays a vital role in adding carbon monoxide in air pollutants. By quantification and controlled use of motor vehicles this increase can be minimised (Aziz and Bajwa, 2007). Last week, Lahore also experienced smog due to the increased level of air pollutants. Lahore is the capital of Pakistan’s province of Punjab, and it is the second-most populous city in Pakistan and ranks as the 32nd most populous city in the world. Lahore, once known as the ‘City of Gardens’ but now choked with cars, regularly figures on air quality indexes as one of the 20th most polluted cities in the world. In Lahore, annually, 1,250 people lose their lives because of air pollution as it has a strong relationship with human health. The reasons for this level of pollution are the vehicle load, uncontrolled industrial emissions, trees cutting and the contributing factor of trans boundary emissions from India. The trans boundary pollution coming from the east crosses Lahore and travels towards the Himalayas, causing a substantial increase in smog The main cause of smog this time is stated to be the burning of crop residue, mainly by Indian Punjab farmers. The trans boundary pollution coming from the east crosses Lahore and travels towards the Himalayas, causing a substantial increase in smog. Smog that develops, as a result, causes health-threatening conditions such as haziness, dry cough, and nose and eye irritation. Smog was witnessed in the bordering areas of Lahore, and those in the south, along the canal on Wednesday morning. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said that Wednesday’s sudden increase of smog in Lahore and its suburbs was because of burning of the remaining of crops in the border area of India, besides changes in the direction of wind. However, the situation is much better due to the Thursday night rain, he added. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) observatory at the MET department’s Jail Road observatory on Wednesday recorded 128 air quality index (AQI ). The AQI at Wagah was 280. According to some instruments installed in Lahore, the Gulberg area even recorded 600 AQI. According to the EPD smog policy, AQI ranging between 101 and 200 indicates slight, 200 to 300 moderate, and 400 to 500 hazardous air pollution. It was the first time that smog forced closure of schools on Thursday in Lahore city. The city’s AQI, which measures the concentration of poisonous particles, was recorded at 216 in the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday. According to the situation, the need of the hour is that the concerned authorities and traffic police are made active for redressing the problems of citizens. Instructions have been issued to the concerned departments to remain alert for coping with smog-related situations in the coming days. The environment and other concerned departments should ensure the implementation of the plan formulated to cope with smog in letter and spirit, and no leniency must be shown in this regard. Government should run an awareness campaign for informing the people about the preventive measures to protect themselves from smog. Tayyab Ali is Assistant Director, Lahore Development Authority / Afshan Arshad is a student at City and Regional Planning Department, UET, Lahore