Lahore: Air pollution levels in Lahore have soared to unprecedented heights, with the city's air quality reaching 40 times the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommended safe limit, sparking public concern and health warnings.

The smog crisis in Lahore, similar to the situation in India's capital Delhi, tends to worsen during cooler months due to temperature inversion trapping pollution closer to the ground. Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here.

As a result of the record high pollution, authorities in Lahore have banned school children from outdoor exercises until January 2025, while also halting construction work and restricting office hours for employees of both government and private firms.

Primary schools in Lahore will remain closed for a week because of the pollution, according to a government notification.