UNICEF raises concern over the intense smog in Pakistan

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has called for greater efforts to reduce pollution caused by severe smog in Lahore and other cities in the Punjab province in Pakistan.  

Children have been admitted to ‘The Children Hospital’ in Lahore', with doctors saying that many of them are suffering with respiratory ailments caused by the smog.

Consequently, most outdoor activities have been banned in Punjab province. Shops, markets and malls in and around the area have also been instructed to close early to mitigate the impact caused by the intense air pollution.

Educational centers and public spaces like parks and zoos have also been shut down in Lahore, which is the world’s most polluted city in terms of air quality, according to Swiss group IQAir’s live ratings.

Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF representative in Pakistan, said that more than 11 million children under the age of five were in danger, expressing concerns over the closure of schools thereby disrupting learning. He, however, said that majority of schools were not equipped with infrastructure to have online classes.

Every winter, several parts of South Asia are engulfed by a toxic haze as cold air traps dust, emissions and smoke from farm fires.