The smog situation in Punjab remained “extremely poor” on Saturday, with Lahore continuing to rank as one of the most polluted cities in the world. The city’s air quality index in the morning reached a staggering 714.

The concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Lahore’s air 10pm was 107.2 times higher than the level deemed acceptable by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Punjab residents have been trapped in thick smog for over a week ever since the air quality index (AQI), which measures a range of pollutants, spiked above 1,000 – well above the level of 300 considered ‘dangerous’ – according to data from IQAir.

Due to the intense smog, visibility has drastically reduced in several cities across Punjab. As a result, various motorways have been closed at different points because of the fog.

The M-2 motorway from Lahore to Kot Sarwar was closed due to fog and smog conditions. The Lahore-Sialkot motorway and the M-4 from Pindi Bhattian to Abdul Hakim were also shut down.

Such closures were implemented for public safety, according to a motorway police spokesperson. They advised citizens to travel during daylight hours whenever possible and to use fog lights in their vehicles.

In response to the smog crisis on Friday, the Lahore High Court mandated the implementation of a work-from-home policy and ordered that markets close by 8pm. The court also directed authorities to confiscate all vehicles that are contributing to air pollution.

The Punjab government has begun implementing the work-from-home policy, allowing both private and public sector employees to work from home.

Moreover, preparations are under way for artificial rain in Lahore on November 11 and 12. Parks and recreational areas in 18 districts would be closed for 10 days. The court has imposed a two-week ban on commercial activities on Sundays.

Due to the Punjab government’s restrictions on outdoor sports activities, the Pakistan Hockey Federation has had to conclude the training camp for its development squad in preparation for the China Hockey League.

The decision came as players were suffering from throat and eye conditions due to the severe smog.

According to organisers, the camp was shut down to protect the athletes from serious health risks. The participants have returned home and are expected to fly to China on Monday or Tuesday once their visas are issued.

Meanwhile, the weekend saw an extraordinary influx of tourists to Murree as they took advantage of the holidays caused by the smog in the province. After spending the day at various recreational spots, tourists flocked to Mall Road in the evening to enjoy the chilly weather.

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Seasonal crop burn-off by farmers on the outskirts of Lahore also contributes to toxic air, which the WHO says can cause strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases.

Excess pollution shortens the life expectancy of Lahore residents by an average of 7.5 years, according to the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute.

According to UNICEF, nearly 600 million children in South Asia are exposed to high levels of air pollution, which is also linked to half of childhood pneumonia deaths.