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Tag: Lahore

  • Lahore AQI 244: World’s Most Polluted City Again

    Lahore AQI 244: World’s Most Polluted City Again

    Lahore once again became the world’s most polluted city on Saturday morning, 14 November 2026, after just one day of relief, with its air quality index (AQI) reaching 244 early in the morning, according to 24NewsHD.

    The city had enjoyed a brief respite on Friday, when wind and drizzle brought a temporary improvement in the air. However, that relief proved to be short-lived. By Saturday morning, pollution levels had climbed again, pushing Lahore back to the top of the global ranking of the world’s most polluted cities after a break of only a single day.

    Pollution levels across the city

    Readings recorded across Lahore on Saturday morning showed sharply varying levels of air pollution in different parts of the city. Multan Road recorded the worst air quality in the city, with an AQI of 500, the highest reading reported anywhere in Lahore.

    Safari Park followed with an AQI of 285, while Kahna recorded 259, Burki Road 253 and DHA Phase-6 251. Punjab University recorded an AQI of 213, Egerton Road 212 and Shahdara 204. Readings were comparatively lower on GT Road, at 194, and at Wagah Border, where the AQI stood at 175.

    The figures show that poor air quality was not limited to one part of Lahore. High readings were reported in residential areas, commercial areas and outlying parts of the city alike, with even the lowest reading recorded in the city, at Wagah Border, standing well above levels considered healthy.

    No rain expected, dry weather ahead

    The Met Office said there was no chance of rain in the city and that the weather would remain dry during the next 24 hours, offering no immediate prospect of the kind of relief that wind and drizzle had briefly brought on Friday.

    The minimum temperature in Lahore was recorded at 16 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while it was likely to rise to 26 degrees Celsius later in the day, according to the Met Office.

    A breeze was expected to blow in the city at a speed of five kilometres per hour, while the level of moisture in the air could reach 77 per cent.

  • Rain Brings Smog Relief to Lahore as AQI Drops to 111

    Rain Brings Smog Relief to Lahore as AQI Drops to 111

    Rain and drizzle in several cities across Pakistan have brought some relief from smog in Lahore, reducing the city’s average Air Quality Index to 111, while the first winter rainfall and snowfall in the northern areas have intensified the cold weather, according to the Meteorological Department.

    According to Dunya News, winds blowing since last evening and light rain in different areas of Lahore have contributed to a slight improvement in air quality. The provincial capital is expected to remain cloudy on Friday, with chances of light drizzle at scattered places during different parts of the day.

    Weather data shows that Lahore’s maximum temperature is expected to reach 29 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to remain at 17 degrees Celsius. Humidity has been recorded at 70 per cent, with winds blowing at a speed of five kilometres per hour.

    The improvement came a day after Delhi overtook Lahore as the world’s most polluted major city, with air quality in the Indian capital reaching hazardous levels. Lahore had ranked as the most polluted major city in the world for several days in a row before Friday’s rain brought the readings down, Dawn reported.

    However, the air pollution situation in Bahawalpur remains extremely alarming, with the city’s Air Quality Index reaching 520, Dunya News reported. Residents, particularly those suffering from asthma and other respiratory conditions, have been advised to remain cautious despite the improvement in Lahore.

    Meanwhile, the first winter rainfall and snowfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan have brought a sharp drop in temperatures, making the weather extremely cold. Heavy snowfall at Babusar Top has forced the closure of roads beyond Baisar, leaving two oil tankers stranded due to adverse weather conditions.

    Snowfall has also been reported in the mountains of Upper Hunza and at the Khunjerab Pass. The Meteorological Department has forecast further rain and snowfall across the country over the next 24 hours, and officials say the improvement in Lahore’s air quality may be temporary, as readings can change with wind direction and atmospheric conditions.

  • Green Bus Staffer Fired for Torturing Woman Passenger

    Green Bus Staffer Fired for Torturing Woman Passenger

    A staffer of the Green Electric Bus service in Lahore has been fired after a female passenger was allegedly pushed and mistreated while boarding the bus, 24NewsHD reported on Friday.

    According to 24NewsHD, the staffer was removed from service after the incident, which took place in Lahore. The report said the action was taken after a video of the incident circulated and drew public attention.

    A video circulating on social media, reported by Daily Pakistan, allegedly shows a conductor of a Green Electric Bus pushing a woman off the vehicle while she was attempting to board it on a busy road in Lahore. The footage has drawn widespread criticism, with social media users expressing anger over the treatment of the woman and questioning the conduct of public transport staff.

    Details about the circumstances that led to the confrontation have yet to emerge, according to the Daily Pakistan report. It said no official statement or response from the relevant authorities had been reported so far, apart from the dismissal reported by 24NewsHD.

    The incident has renewed debate about the behaviour of public transport staff towards women passengers in Lahore and about the training given to conductors and drivers of government-run bus services. Passengers and commentators on social media have called for strict action against staff found misbehaving with women and for better training before conductors are hired.

    Public transport services in Lahore, including the Green Electric Bus service, carry large numbers of women passengers every day, including students and working women. Campaigners say women passengers should be able to board and travel without facing harassment or rough treatment from staff.

    This is not the first time a bus staffer in Lahore has faced action over the treatment of a passenger. In a separate incident in April, a Speedo bus conductor was dismissed and arrested after a video showed him assaulting a young girl in the Chuhng area. The transport minister had taken notice of that incident and ordered disciplinary and legal action.

    Officials have not yet released the name of the staffer dismissed in the latest incident, and it is not clear whether any legal proceedings have been started against him. Further details are awaited from the transport authorities and the police.

  • Punjab Issues Strict Smog Safety Guidelines for Schools

    Punjab Issues Strict Smog Safety Guidelines for Schools

    Punjab’s School Education Department has issued new guidelines for schools across the province to protect students and staff from the harmful effects of smog, 24NewsHD reported on Friday.

    Under the directives, students have been advised to wear masks, stay hydrated and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities during smoggy conditions.

    Schools have been instructed to keep doors and windows closed during periods of heavy smog while ensuring that classrooms remain clean and well ventilated.

    A complete ban has been imposed on burning trash or any other materials within school premises. Institutions have also been directed to ensure proper waste disposal arrangements, and teachers must immediately attend to students showing signs of illness.

    The department has ordered awareness campaigns for students and parents about the health risks linked to smog. Special care must be taken of students suffering from asthma, particularly during physical activities.

    Schools have further been directed to maintain emergency medical records of students with respiratory or heart conditions, so that help can be provided quickly if a student falls ill.

    The department has also ordered daily monitoring of the Air Quality Index (AQI) in schools and directed each district to appoint a focal person to coordinate with the Health Department. Schools will be issued instructions according to the prevailing air quality conditions, and district focal persons will share the daily readings with the health authorities so that timely advice can reach schools.

    Smog returns to Punjab’s plains every winter, when a mix of vehicle emissions, dust and smoke hangs over the province and pushes air quality to unhealthy levels. Schools are among the first institutions to feel the impact, as children are more vulnerable to the fine particles in smoggy air.

    The guidelines come as Punjab continues to battle seasonal smog. Lahore received light rain on Friday, which brought some relief and improved the air quality, with the city’s AQI dropping to 111, according to earlier reports. The School Education Department’s directives are meant to keep that protection in place for students even as smog levels fluctuate in the coming weeks.

  • 27 Illegal Housing Societies on Kashmir State Land in Lahore

    27 Illegal Housing Societies on Kashmir State Land in Lahore

    The federal government has tasked the Punjab government with reclaiming state properties of Jammu and Kashmir that have been encroached upon by land grabbers in Lahore, 24NewsHD reported on Friday.

    Following the direction, the provincial government has set up a committee comprising officials from Punjab and Azad Kashmir to vacate the illegal occupation. The committee will meet every 14 days to review progress in the operations against the encroachments.

    According to reports, 27 allegedly illegal housing societies have been established on land belonging to Jammu and Kashmir State, where plots are being sold to citizens. The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) will now carry out a crackdown on illegal occupants in Jail Road, Icchra, Rehmanpura, Sultanpura and the area bordering Wagah.

    The issue came to light during a visit by a sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and Frontier Regions. The delegation, led by convener Nasir Mahmood Butt and including Senators Naseema Ehsan and Nadeem Bhutto, inspected Jammu and Kashmir State properties in Sultanpura, Rehmanpura and Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore, Dawn reported.

    According to an official statement cited by Dawn, it emerged during the visit that 27 allegedly illegal housing societies had been established on the official land of Jammu and Kashmir State, where plots were reportedly being sold to citizens, while several individuals had also constructed houses on the land.

    The committee expressed concern that many buyers may be unaware that the land they are purchasing plots on, or building houses on, is the official property of Jammu and Kashmir State, potentially exposing them to legal disputes and financial losses.

    The committee stressed the need for a comprehensive examination of the legal status of the 27 housing societies, verification of land ownership documents, and a review of plot sale and purchase records to identify any irregularities and protect the interests of affected citizens.

    The authorities concerned briefed the committee on the current status of the properties, administrative matters and available records. The committee emphasised that the objective of the exercise is to safeguard citizens’ rights and prevent the illegal use of state-owned land.

    The Senate committee’s three-day visit to Lahore is under way, during which its members are visiting different state properties to review their status. The federal government’s direction to the Punjab government follows the committee’s findings, and the newly formed committee will now oversee the reclamation of the encroached properties across the city.

  • Teen Killed in Lioness Attack at Lahore Farmhouse

    Teen Killed in Lioness Attack at Lahore Farmhouse

    A 19-year-old man has died after being attacked by a lioness at a farmhouse in Lahore, police said, in a case that has raised serious questions about the keeping of wild animals at private properties.

    The victim, identified as Talha, worked as an employee at the farmhouse, according to Dunya News. Police said the lioness attacked him while a visitor was at the property, leaving him with critical injuries.

    According to police, a TikToker identified as Nauman had visited the farmhouse to record a video when the lioness went out of control and attacked Talha. The young man was shifted to a private hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.

    Arrests after attack

    Police have arrested the farmhouse owner and the TikToker in connection with the incident, according to Dunya News. Both were taken into custody as part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.

    Police said an attempt was initially made to pass off the attack as a dog attack in order to hide what had actually happened. However, the investigation into the suspicious circumstances established that Talha had been attacked by a lioness, not a dog, police said.

    Wildlife Department takes lioness into custody

    The lioness has been taken into custody by the Wildlife Department, according to Dunya News. Authorities are now investigating whether the farmhouse held a valid licence to keep the animal, what safety arrangements were in place, and whether there was negligence on the part of those responsible for the animal.

    The incident has drawn attention to the risks of keeping large wild animals at private farmhouses and residences, where safety measures may not be adequate to protect workers and visitors. Police said the investigation is continuing, and further action will be taken in light of its findings.

    The case has also renewed debate about how private owners obtain and house large wild animals, and about who is responsible when those animals harm people.

    Keeping lions and other wild animals as pets or attractions has repeatedly led to dangerous incidents in Pakistan, and wildlife authorities have in the past warned that such animals must only be kept under proper licences and strict safety conditions.

  • Lahore Rain Brings Smog Relief as Air Quality Improves

    Lahore Rain Brings Smog Relief as Air Quality Improves

    Lahore received light rain on Friday, bringing the city its first real relief from a week of choking smog, as overnight showers washed dust and pollutants from the air and pushed the city’s air quality index down from hazardous levels.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded 3.8 millimetres of rain in Lahore city and 1.4 millimetres at the airport over the past 24 hours, with rain and thunderstorms reported at isolated places across the city. The showers came as a shallow westerly wave that entered the country on Tuesday strengthened over the upper parts of Pakistan, bringing the rain the Met Office had forecast for Lahore on November 12 and 13.

    Air quality improves, but remains unhealthy

    The change was visible in the air quality readings. Lahore’s air quality index stood at 394 on Thursday, a hazardous reading that once again placed the city among the world’s most polluted, according to data reported by Dawn. By Friday morning, the index had fallen to 159, still in the unhealthy range but far below the peaks of the past week. The provincial environment department had forecast the index would fall to 218 on Friday, and the improvement was enough for Delhi to move ahead of Lahore on the global ranking of the most polluted major cities.

    The relief, however, is only partial. An index of 159 still means the air is not satisfactory, with fine PM2.5 particles the main pollutant, and health experts advise residents to limit prolonged outdoor activity, wear masks and keep children indoors when pollution is high.

    A week of hazardous air

    The rain arrived after days in which Lahore repeatedly topped the world’s most polluted cities list. The city recorded no rain at all between November 1 and 10, while still air allowed pollution to build. A Pakistan Air Quality Initiative report found Lahore’s average PM2.5 concentration was 126 micrograms per cubic metre between October 1 and November 9, eight times the World Health Organisation’s guideline, and the city breached the national 24-hour air quality standard on all 40 days measured.

    Officials have blamed a mix of local emissions, including transport, crop-residue burning and waste burning, and pollution drifting across the border from Indian Punjab after Diwali celebrations, with easterly winds carrying fine particles into the region.

    Fog likely after the rain

    The Met Office has warned that fog could form over the plains after the rain, cutting visibility for motorists in the mornings, and the National Disaster Management Authority has issued an alert for rain, thunderstorms and night-time fog and smog in Lahore and other Punjab cities. The westerly system is expected to persist over the upper parts of the country until the morning of Saturday, November 14, after which conditions are expected to improve. Temperatures in Lahore are forecast to stay mild, with a high of around 29 degrees Celsius and a low of 17 on Friday, and the rain is also expected to bring cooler weather in the coming days.

  • عمران خان کی دو بہنیں 53 روز بعد کوٹ لکھپت جیل سے رہا

    عمران خان کی دو بہنیں 53 روز بعد کوٹ لکھپت جیل سے رہا

    پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے بانی اور سابق وزیراعظم عمران خان کی دو بہنیں تقریباً 53 روز کی حراست کے بعد جمعرات کو لاہور کی کوٹ لکھپت جیل سے رہا ہو گئیں۔ پنجاب حکام نے ان کی نظر بندی کے احکامات واپس لے لیے تھے۔

    ڈاکٹر عظمیٰ خان اور نورین نیازی دوپہر تقریباً دو بجے جیل سے باہر آئیں۔ ان کے وکیل رانا مدثر عمر نے سوشل میڈیا پلیٹ فارم ایکس پر ایک پوسٹ میں کہا کہ دونوں خواتین بحفاظت گھر پہنچ گئی ہیں۔ پاکستان تحریک انصاف نے رہائی کی تصدیق کی، جبکہ پی ٹی آئی کے وکیل تیمور ملک نے بھی تصدیق کی کہ نظر بندی کے احکامات واپس لیے جانے کے بعد دونوں خواتین کو رہا کر دیا گیا۔

    دونوں خواتین کو مینٹیننس آف پبلک آرڈر آرڈیننس 1960 کی دفعہ 3 کے تحت حراست میں رکھا گیا تھا۔ ان کے وکیل نے رائٹرز کو بتایا کہ نظر بندی کے احکامات معطل کر دیے گئے تھے، جبکہ ڈان اور اے ایف پی نے بتایا کہ حکام نے لاہور ہائی کورٹ میں بہنوں کی نظر بندی کے خلاف درخواست پر مقررہ سماعت سے قبل مشترکہ حکم واپس لے لیا۔ نظر بندی پہلے 30 روز کے لیے لگائی گئی تھی اور پھر اس میں مزید 30 روز کی توسیع کر دی گئی، جس کے بعد بہنوں نے ہائی کورٹ میں اسے چیلنج کیا تھا۔

    تینوں بہنیں ستمبر میں لاہور کے ڈپٹی کمشنر کے احکامات پر حراست میں لی گئی تھیں، جب پی ٹی آئی عمران خان کی رہائی کا مطالبہ کرتے ہوئے اسلام آباد کی طرف مارچ کی تیاری کر رہی تھی۔ علیمہ خان کو 20 ستمبر کو حراست میں لیا گیا، جبکہ عظمیٰ خان اور نورین نیازی کو ایک روز بعد 21 ستمبر کو حراست میں لیا گیا۔ رائٹرز کے مطابق حکومت کا کہنا تھا کہ بہنوں کو اس لیے حراست میں لیا گیا تھا کہ منصوبہ بند مارچ سے قبل وہ امن و امان کے لیے خطرہ بن سکتی تھیں، جو بالآخر نہیں ہو سکا۔

    ان کی تیسری بہن علیمہ خان ایک الگ نظر بندی کے حکم کے تحت بدستور حراست میں ہیں۔ کوٹ لکھپت جیل کے سپرنٹنڈنٹ چوہدری اعجاز اصغر نے دی ایکسپریس ٹریبیون کو تصدیق کی کہ علیمہ خان جیل میں ہی ہیں، اور ان کی قانونی ٹیم ان کے الگ نظر بندی کے حکم کو واپس لینے کی کوشش کر رہی ہے۔

    حراست کے دوران نورین نیازی کو 28 اکتوبر کو بلڈ پریشر بڑھنے پر جیل سے لاہور کے پنجاب انسٹی ٹیوٹ آف کارڈیالوجی منتقل کیا گیا تھا۔ لاہور ہائی کورٹ نے اس سے قبل پنجاب کے ہوم سیکریٹری اور کوٹ لکھپت جیل کے سپرنٹنڈنٹ کو بہنوں کی رہائی کی درخواست پر رپورٹس کے ساتھ ذاتی طور پر پیش ہونے کا حکم دیا تھا۔ یہ درخواست علیمہ خان کے بیٹے شہریز خان نے دائر کی تھی۔

    عمران خان اگست 2023 سے جیل میں ہیں۔ ان کے وکیل کا کہنا تھا کہ دونوں خواتین نے بغیر کسی باضابطہ چارج کے 53 روز حراست میں گزارے۔ پنجاب حکومت نے جمعرات کی شام تک رہائی پر کوئی بیان جاری نہیں کیا تھا۔

  • Imran Khan’s Sisters Released After 53 Days in Jail

    Imran Khan’s Sisters Released After 53 Days in Jail

    Two sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former prime minister Imran Khan were released from Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore on Thursday after about 53 days in detention, following the withdrawal of their detention orders by the Punjab authorities.

    Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi walked out of the jail at about 2pm, according to their lawyer, Rana Mudassar Umer, who said in a post on X that both women had returned home safely. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf confirmed the release, and PTI lawyer Taimur Malik also confirmed that the two women had been freed after the detention orders were withdrawn.

    The two women had been held under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960. Their lawyer told Reuters that the detention orders had been suspended, while Dawn and AFP reported that the authorities withdrew the joint order ahead of a scheduled hearing in the Lahore High Court on the sisters’ challenge to their detention. The detention had first been ordered for 30 days and was then extended for another 30 days, after which the sisters challenged it in the high court.

    All three sisters were detained in September on the orders of the Lahore deputy commissioner, as the PTI prepared for a planned march on Islamabad to demand Imran Khan’s release. Aleema Khan was taken into custody on September 20, while Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were detained a day later, on September 21. The government said it detained the sisters because they could have been a threat to law and order ahead of the planned march, which ultimately did not go ahead, according to Reuters.

    Their third sister, Aleema Khan, remains in custody under a separate detention order. Kot Lakhpat Jail Superintendent Chaudhry Ijaz Asghar confirmed to The Express Tribune that Aleema Khan remains in jail, and her legal team is pursuing the withdrawal of her separate detention order.

    During the detention, Noreen Niazi was moved from the jail to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore on October 28 after her blood pressure rose. The Lahore High Court had earlier summoned Punjab’s home secretary and the Kot Lakhpat jail superintendent to appear in person with reports on a petition seeking the sisters’ release, filed by Aleema Khan’s son, Shahrez Khan.

    Imran Khan has been jailed since August 2023. Their lawyer said the two women had spent 53 days in detention without being formally charged. The Punjab government had not issued a statement on the release by Thursday evening.

  • Gohar Visits Qureshi in Hospital After Jail Fall

    Gohar Visits Qureshi in Hospital After Jail Fall

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan visited the Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore on Thursday to enquire after party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is receiving treatment at the hospital. Qureshi’s son, National Assembly member Zain Qureshi, accompanied Gohar during the visit.

    Qureshi, a former foreign minister, was moved from Kot Lakhpat jail to the hospital earlier this week after he became dizzy and collapsed while walking inside his barracks, according to party sources and prison officials. He injured his knee and arm in the fall. Jail authorities collected blood samples and sent them to Shaukat Khanum Hospital for testing, and no results had been shared by the time of the visit, according to the reports.

    His lawyer, Rana Mudassar Umar, said his client had fainted and fallen a few days earlier. Qureshi was first kept under observation at the hospital before doctors decided to admit him for further examination and treatment. The lawyer said an application had been submitted to the anti-terrorism court, but court holidays had delayed the matter.

    Zain Qureshi had earlier called on the prison authorities to arrange a CT scan to assess his father’s condition and to take him to a dentist for treatment of a cracked tooth. The PTI core committee had also expressed concern about Qureshi’s fall at a meeting held last week, calling on the courts, the government and the prison administration to ensure his transfer to hospital, a full medical examination and any necessary treatment.

    Briefing during the visit

    During Thursday’s meeting, Gohar enquired about Qureshi’s health and discussed recent political developments within the party, according to reports of the visit. He also updated the party’s vice chairman on the release of PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, who were released from Kot Lakhpat jail on Thursday after being held since September 21 under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance. He further briefed him on recent meetings between lawyers and Imran Khan.

    Qureshi has been in custody since August 2023 and has been indicted in several cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots. In July 2024, a Lahore anti-terrorism court indicted him in a case registered by Shadman police over an alleged attack on and burning of a police station. His daughter, Meher Bano, said last week that she had learnt of his fall from relatives who met him in jail, and she has called for his release, alleging that he is being held on false charges.

    Qureshi has needed hospital care before during his time in custody. He was taken to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology in May 2025 after complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath, and he underwent a procedure to remove his gallbladder at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute in December 2025.