AQI tops 2000 in Multan, several Pakistani cities under lockdown: Report

The smog situation is worsening in Pakistan day by day, which has led authorities to place many cities in the neighbouring country under 'forced lockdowns'.

While Delhi is suffering from poor air quality with the city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 358, the Pakistani city of Multan has a staggering AQI of 2,135, news agency ANI reported.

The state government of Punjab in Pakistan has closed all museums and parks till November 17.

The PM2.5 concentration has also reached 947 micrograms per cubmic metre, which is close to 190 times of the World Health Organisation-recommended level.

Anything over 5 micrograms per cubic metre is hazardous, as per the WHO.

A 'smart lockdown' has been implemented in Multan, wherein markets are advised to close by 8 pm while the traffic police has been advised to take strict measures against polluting vehicles.

However, Dawn reported that residents are continuing to flout the norms. The govenment decision to keep schools closed has also been nullified by the fact that children are playing outdoors.

The report also reveals that at 12 am on Saturday, the AQI of Lahore was reported to be above 1000.

Dawn reports that citizens in Lahore, Nankhana Sahib, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Chiniot, and Gujranwala have been completely banned from entering parks, zoos, museums, monuments, or playgrounds owing to the high level of pollution.