Lahore restaurants to stay open till 11pm, orders LHC

LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday directed the authorities to stay restaurants open by 11:00 pm allowing eateries to stay open for another hour in the metropolis.

Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court issued the written order in the smog case which allowed home delivery service to continue till midnight.

Retracting its previous order, the court further directed the traffic police to issue contact numbers for information regarding traffic jams.

Last year in December, LHC ordered the closure of markets and restaurants on weekdays at 10 pm and 11 pm on weekends. Stern measures were taken as the provincial capital of Lahore remained among the top polluted cities in the world with hazardous levels of air quality.

Lahore, once known as the city of gardens, is facing pollution as long queues of passenger vehicles continue to block arteries in the metropolis, especially in business hubs like Gulberg.

Three-day weekly closure of schools announced in Lahore as smog worsens

Amid worsening air quality, experts warn of threat to public health. In some areas of the city, the index reading reached up to 400.