LAHORE: Smog and fog once again worsened on Friday, disrupting all kinds of traffic and causing health problems to people amidst the much-awaited tiding by the Met department that it will be washed away by rain on Monday and Tuesday.

“A rain bearing weather system is expected to enter Pakistan from Sunday (night) and is likely to grip upper and central parts of the country on Monday and Tuesday," the Met department said to the consolation of people who have been told that only rain can rid them of smog which aggravated in Lahore and elsewhere on Friday, burning eyes and irritating throat.

The Met department forecast rain/thunderstorm at scattered places of Balochistan (Quetta, Kalat, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Zhob and Makran divisions), while at isolated places in Sindh on Sunday (night) and Monday.

Rain/thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected at scattered places in KPK, FATA, Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad and Sahiwal divisions), Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, while at isolated places in south Punjab (Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur divisions) from Monday to Wednesday.

It said that the prevalent smoggy conditions in urban areas will subside in the coming week due to the temperature fall and expected rain.

Meanwhile, motorway was closed at different points like from Peshawar to Swabi, Pindi Bhattian to Faisalabad and from here to Gojra, and Lahore to Kot Momin due to poor visibility caused by worsened fog.

Visibility too was reduced at the G T Road and the National Highway from Peshawar to Sukkur, making travel difficult and risky. Vehicular traffic moved slow and in convoys to avoid accidents in poor visibility.

Smog and fog worsened in Lahore too where visibility improved at around 11am. It nevertheless remained foggy the entire day. Burning of eyes and irritation in throat confirmed that the air was badly polluted. Children and the elderly were particularly affected by smog which added to the agony of people suffering from asthma or other pulmonary diseases.

Flight schedule at the Lahore and other airports in the province continued to be disrupted, delaying and cancelling flights to the utter inconvenience of people. Trains moved slowly on the fog-bound tracks.

The Environment Department officials said quiet wind enhanced the impact of smog but it was bound to be eliminated next week.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2017