

According to a Daily Pakistan report , toxic smog is looming over Lahore and many other parts of Punjab in Pakistan. Their media claims that it is not a by-product of pollution that Pakistan is producing. In fact, they are inferring that this pollution produced within Pakistani boundaries is largely contributed by 'rival' India, which NASA in its forecast has observed.

The NASA forecast points out the high levels of "fire and thermal anomalies" in Pakistan.

A fact that has been speculated by many experts is that the smog has branched from industrial and vehicular emissions and it is thought that it has originated from India.

"The report says that the pollutants are from staggering amount - 32 million tons (30 billion kg) of leftover straw - being burnt by Indian farmers, which is an age-old practice," the Daily Pakistan quoted.



A Twitter user shared a small video clip depicting Punjab's crop burning over the last two weeks.

Punjab's crop burning over the last two weeks, mapped in one gif. #airpollution pic.twitter.com/eXSye3ynoO Anand Katakam (@anandkatakam) November 3, 2016



Diwali celebrations and its fireworks across the border have also been cited as one of the major reasons for this staggering amount of pollutants in the air.

However, images published by NASA suggest that burning of crops in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana in India, could be the biggest reason behind the air pollution in the region.



CONDITIONS IN PAKISTAN

The national climate change expert and former Director General of Pakistan's Meteorological Department, Dr Qamar uz Zaman is also of the view that the main source of pollutant in Pakistan's lower atmosphere is India's Eastern Punjab, where many coal-based industries are centered.

Lahore, including northern and central Punjab in Pakistan, have been surrounded by a dense layer of smog where sunshine is negligible as the haze continues to spread over their skies.

In Pakistan's Punjab, fog has caused road accidents and flights may soon have to be delayed.

Dr Sajid Rashid, Principal Environment College, University of Punjab, has blamed burning of fields of stalks in the Indian state of Punjab as the main reason for rising level of smoke in the air.

"Unfortunately, in Pakistan, we lack the equipment for real-time monitoring of air quality," he said talking to DP Global.