LAHORE: Pakistan’s Punjab province banned most outdoor activities and ordered shops, markets and malls in some areas to close early from Monday to curb illnesses caused by intense air pollution.
The province has already closed educational institutions and public spaces like parks and zoos until Nov. 17 in places including Lahore, the world’s most polluted city in terms of air quality according to Swiss group IQAir’s live ratings.
The districts of Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala have seen an unprecedented rise in patients with respiratory diseases, eye and throat irritation, and pink eye disease, the Punjab government said in an order issued late on Sunday.
The new restrictions would also remain in force until Nov. 17, it said.
“The spread of conjunctivitis/ pink eye disease due to bacterial or viral infection, smoke, dust or chemical exposure is posing a serious and imminent threat to public health,” it said.
While outdoor activities including outdoor sports events, exhibitions and festivals, and outdoor dining at restaurants have been prohibited, “unavoidable religious rites” are exempt from this direction, the order said.
Some outlets like pharmacies, oil depots, dairy shops, and fruit and vegetable shops have similarly been exempted from the directions to close by 8 p.m. local time.
Lahore’s air quality remained hazardous on Monday, with an index score of more than 600, according to IQAir, but this was significantly lower than the 1,900 that it touched in some places earlier this month.
A score of 0-50 is considered ‘good’.
Several parts of South Asia are engulfed by a toxic haze each winter as cold air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from farm fires.
Punjab has blamed its particularly toxic air this year on pollution wafting in from India, where northern parts have also been battling hazardous air, and has said it will take the issue up with the neighboring country through its foreign ministry.
India’s Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi government to decide by Nov. 25 on imposing a ‘perpetual ban’ on firecrackers, legal news portal Bar and Bench reported.
Firecrackers set off by revellers on Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights that was celebrated on Oct. 31 this year despite a ban, has aggravated the region’s pollution problem.
Pakistan limits outdoor activities, market hours to curb air pollution-related illness
https://arab.news/jcr9u
Pakistan limits outdoor activities, market hours to curb air pollution-related illness
- Punjab government says “unavoidable religious rites” exempt from latest smog-related restrictions
- Several parts of South Asia are engulfed by toxic haze each winter as cold air traps dust, emissions
Pakistan, Jordan discuss defense cooperation amid flurry of high-level contacts
- Field Marshal Asim Munir hosted Maj Gen Yousef Ahmed A. Al Huneiti of Jordan in Rawalpindi
- Munir visited Amman in October, followed by King Abdullah II’s trip to Pakistan the next month
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met the chairman of Jordan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Thursday to discuss defense and military cooperation, the Pakistani military said in a statement, amid a recent uptick in high-level engagement between the two countries.
Major General Yousef Ahmed A. Al Huneiti, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordan Armed Forces, called on Munir at Pakistan’s military headquarters in Rawalpindi, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
“During the meeting, both sides discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, and avenues for enhanced bilateral defense and military cooperation,” ISPR said.
“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening defense ties with Jordan and emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to address evolving security challenges,” it added.
The meeting follows a series of senior-level interactions between the two countries this year. Munir paid an official visit to Jordan in October, while Jordan’s military leadership has also engaged with Pakistan’s top brass in recent months.
In November, Jordan’s King Abdullah II visited Pakistan for talks with the country’s civilian and military leadership.
Pakistan and Jordan have long maintained cordial relations, including defense cooperation and military training links, though senior-level exchanges have been relatively infrequent.
Both countries were also among eight Muslim-majority states whose top leaders participated in discussions with United States President Donald Trump in September on proposals aimed at ending the war in Gaza and issued joint statements with other countries over the situation in West Asia in recent months.
ISPR said the meeting concluded with a shared resolve to further deepen military-to-military cooperation between Pakistan and Jordan.
