Primary schools across Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, will close for a week following record-high pollution levels over the weekend.

Education officials in Punjab province announced the suspension of classes on Sunday for students up to fifth grade due to the alarming Air Quality Index (AQI). 

Schools for older students will remain open.

The move came after Lahore’s AQI skyrocketed to over 1,000, well beyond the hazardous threshold of 301, according to the air quality monitoring company IQAir. 

The concentration of PM2.5 particles, a particularly harmful pollutant, reached nearly 30 times the recommended safe limit set by the World Health Organization.

Ahmad Rafay Alam, an environmental lawyer and member of Pakistan’s Climate Change Council, described the situation as “apocalyptic,” highlighting the severity of the pollution crisis. 

Lahore, home to 11 million people, was ranked the second-most polluted city globally over the weekend, behind only New Delhi.

Every year, pollution worsens in the colder months, as farmers burn crop stubble, contributing to the smog that blankets the region from October to February.

Residents face serious health risks, with experts estimating that poor air quality in Pakistan’s cities shortens life expectancy by an average of two years.

In recent years, Lahore has frequently seen schools and businesses closed due to hazardous pollution levels. This year, the smog season has lingered longer than usual, according to government officials.

Officials have advised residents to stay indoors, wear masks, and avoid outdoor activities, especially for those with respiratory conditions. 

Punjab’s senior minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, also suggested that smoke from crop burning in neighbouring India has contributed to Lahore’s pollution, as the city is just 15 miles from the border.