Punjab Govt Accused of Shutting Down Air Quality Monitors Amid Smog Crisis

By Abdullah Ahmad

LAHORE; The Punjab government is under fire after climate experts and citizens accused the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EPCCD) of intentionally turning off air quality monitoring stations in Lahore during the city’s most polluted hours.

The controversy began when climate and public policy analyst Dawar Hameed Butt alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that EPCCD had switched off several key stations, particularly in the heavily polluted northern and eastern parts of Lahore.

“EPCCD Punjab has turned off monitoring stations in Lahore. The ones left on are still ‘Beyond Index’. These are educated officers, yet they think closing their eyes will solve the problem. Absolute failure unfolding now,” he wrote, sharing screenshots from the official website, aqipunjab.com, which showed no updates since October 30.

Social media user Hassan Aftab supported the claims, suggesting that the alleged shutdown was a tactic to manipulate pollution averages. “Punjab government’s new strategy: if pollution looks bad, turn off the monitors. Eight out of ten stations go offline after 10 pm to lower the average. Lahore now breathes cleaner air—on paper,” he wrote, tagging Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb for transparency.

Responding to the allegations, the EPCCD stated that a “technical issue” had disrupted data transmission and assured that their technical team was restoring regular updates. When checked on Friday evening, most stations were back online, except the Multan Road station. However, the latest readings still showed hazardous pollution levels across Punjab, with Kasur topping at an AQI of 500, Gujranwala at 207, DG Khan at 190, Multan at 187, and Lahore at 175.

EPCCD spokesperson Sajid Bashir denied accusations of manipulation, insisting that the department updates air quality data every hour and that screenshots circulating online were misleading.

Despite these denials, Lahore continues to rank as the world’s most polluted city, according to global tracker IQAir. Meanwhile, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has intensified its anti-smog drive, deploying hundreds of workers and machinery for road washing and water sprinkling.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb praised Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s efforts, saying her leadership reflected “a clear vision for environmental improvement.” She added that “Punjab will see progress similar to Beijing’s in the coming years.”