Toxic smog in Pakistan province is endangering children, UN warns

The health of 11 million children in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province is in danger because of air pollution, the UN children’s agency has warned.

Toxic smog has shrouded Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore and 17 other districts in Punjab since last month.

Health officials say more than 40,000 people have been treated for respiratory ailments.

“Prior to these record-breaking levels of air pollution, about 12% of deaths in children under five in Pakistan were due to air pollution,” Mr Fadil said.

“The impact of this year’s extraordinary smog will take time to assess, but we know that doubling and tripling the amount of pollution in the air will have devastating effects, particularly on children and pregnant women.”

Pakistan has shut schools until November 17 in areas of Punjab as part of measures aimed at protecting children’s health.

According to the Environmental Protection Department in Punjab, Multan remained the most polluted city on Monday, with air quality index readings of about 800. Anything more than 300 is considered hazardous to health.

Though the government has ordered the mandatory wearing of face masks, that has been widely disregarded. The government has also said it was looking into methods to induce artificial rainfall to combat the pollution.