Lahore : Flight operations in Punjab were severely affected by dense smog and fog on Friday, leading to widespread delays and cancellations, as reported by ARY News.
According to reports, 11 flights were canceled, while three diverted to alternate airports. A total of 53 domestic and international flights faced significant delays. Notably, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights PK 340 and 341 from Karachi to Faisalabad were among those canceled.
Additional cancellations included PIA flights PK 322 and 323 from Lahore to Quetta, as well as an international flight, V739 from Jeddah to Lahore. Furthermore, PIA flights PK 281 and 282 from Muscat to Sialkot were also canceled. Four flights from Islamabad to Gilgit (PK 601, 602, 605, and 606) did not operate, as reported by ARY News.
Due to poor visibility caused by the smog, some international flights had to land at alternate airports. Qatar Airways flight QR 616 from Doha to Multan landed in Islamabad and returned to Multan once the weather conditions improved. Similarly, Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV738 from Jeddah to Lahore also landed in Islamabad. Another international flight, PK-244 from Dammam to Sialkot, was rerouted to Lahore, ARY News reported.
Several domestic flights, including OD132 from Lahore to Kuala Lumpur and TG346 from Lahore to Bangkok, were delayed until the following morning. The ongoing smog crisis also prompted the Punjab government to implement stricter measures, including early market closures at 8 pm to combat the air pollution. Authorities sealed 75 shops and several wedding halls in Lahore for violating the early closing hours, and 14 restaurants were shut down for ignoring the outdoor dining ban, ARY News reported.
In addition, shops and restaurants in various districts, including Shalimar, City, Ravi, Raiwind, Cantonment, and Saddar Tehsils, were sealed for non-compliance with the regulations. The enforcement of these measures underscores the region's efforts to address the growing smog problem in the region.