A three-year-old girl has filed a petition against the local government in Pakistan’s Punjab as the province, especially its capital Lahore, is under the severe influence of smog, with air quality remaining in the extremely hazardous zone.
On Thursday morning, Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) topped the global rankings, with levels well above the 800 mark, making the air critically hazardous for residents.
According to Swiss air quality monitor IQAir, Lahore tops the list of cities with the highest AQI in the world. Many times the level has even crossed the 1000 mark.
Prolonged inclement weather has made it impossible for citizens to leave their homes. Hospitals are also filling up with people suffering from respiratory problems. Thousands of citizens of the province have become vulnerable to respiratory diseases due to poor air quality and the provincial government and doctors have advised everyone to wear masks whenever they leave their homes.
The provincial government has imposed smog emergency in the entire province and closed all educational institutions up to higher secondary level in Lahore and other districts till 17 November.
Meanwhile, a three-year-old girl approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday and filed a case against the provincial government over its failure to control air pollution.
Petitioner Amal Sekhera, through his lawyer, said in the plea that small children and the elderly are seriously affected by air pollution and sought justice for himself, his friends and future generations.
“Under Article 99-A of the Constitution, the government is bound to provide a clean and healthy environment to the citizens,” the plea said.
The petition criticized the Punjab government for failing to protect the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.
Senior provincial minister of Punjab government, Maryam Aurangzeb, has said that the intensity of the haze is likely to continue for at least 10 more days, due to which educational institutions have been closed and people have been advised to wear masks.
Many other cities like Multan and Gujranwala are also severely affected by the current weather conditions.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
