Marriyum Aurangzeb Blames Pollution from India, Diwali Fireworks for Lahore’s Worsening Air Quality

Punjab Environment Protection Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has blamed pollution drifting from Indian cities, particularly emissions from Diwali fireworks, along with stubble burning and easterly winds, for the recent deterioration in Lahore’s air quality.

Aurangzeb said light winds had carried polluted air from several Indian cities, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Bathinda and Ferozepur, into Punjab through the eastern corridor following Diwali celebrations on November 8.

According to international air quality monitoring platform IQAir, Lahore topped the ranking of the world's most polluted major cities for the second consecutive day on November 10, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 263, categorised as "very unhealthy". The city's PM2.5 concentration was approximately 37.2 times higher than the World Health Organization's annual guideline.

India's capital, New Delhi, ranked second with an AQI of around 188. Indian air quality data also indicated that firecracker emissions had contributed significantly to elevated PM2.5 levels following Diwali celebrations.

Aurangzeb said the Punjab government, under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, had introduced various measures to control air pollution and improve environmental conditions. She expressed hope that a change in wind direction would help reduce pollution levels across the province.

The Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI) has highlighted the contribution of crop-residue burning in Pakistani Punjab, reporting thousands of satellite-detected fire incidents. Its analysis indicated that pollution levels in Lahore increased significantly on days when air masses passed over areas affected by agricultural burning.

Environmental experts point out that Lahore and Delhi face a recurring air pollution crisis during October and November, driven by a combination of vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust, agricultural burning, fireworks and unfavourable weather conditions, including temperature inversions.

While Diwali fireworks can cause sharp, short-term increases in particulate pollution, local emissions and regional sources on both sides of the border contribute to the wider crisis.