Punjab makes wearing masks mandatory for a week

Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has made wearing masks mandatory across the province for a week.

In a notification issued on Sunday afternoon, Naqvi said that that decision was taken for all smog-affected districts of Punjab in view of the deteriorating air quality.

"Prioritising health is our collective responsibility. Please adhere to the guidelines for a safer community,” he urged the people in a post on his X account.  

According to the notification, issued on behalf of the health secretary, smog posed a serious and imminent threat to public health in all age groups.

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“Hence, it is necessary to take all possible safety measures for prevention and control of airborne diseases,” it stated, adding that all citizens would wear masks during all kinds of outdoor activities.

The order, it said, would be implemented across Lahore division, including Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura and Kasur districts; and Gujranwala division, including Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad, and Mandi Bahauddin districts. These areas, according to the notification, had the highest air quality index. 

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The wearing of masks has been made mandatory for a week – from November 20 to 26. 

For months now, the above-mentioned cities of Punjab, specifically Lahore, have been reeling with hazardous levels of air quality due to the onset of smog, or the 'fifth season', as it is called, towards the end of the year. The Punjab capital has been consistently retaining its top spot on the list of most polluted cities in the world.