LAHORE – The Punjab government has decided make arrangements for offering the prayer of Istisqaa (prayer for rain) on Friday, November 15, amid worsening situation of smog in various cities of province.
The Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department will arrange the prayer throughout the province, during which supplications for the mercy of rain will be made.
There is an urgent need for rain in Punjab at the moment, as it will help reduce the effects of smog, the official said.
The idea comes as Lahore, the city of around 15million, continues to suffer from hazardous air quality, recently ranking as the most polluted city in the world. The toxic air raised serious concerns for public health, particularly for children, with UNICEF issuing warnings about the risks posed to over 11 million children under the age of five who are exposed to the pollution.
The ongoing smog crisis in Punjab is largely attributed to crop burning, vehicle emissions, and the operation of coal-powered plants.
The situation has forced the government to shut schools and intermediate colleges across the province and ordering 50 percent work from home policy for all public and private offices in various cities.
Punjab mulls wedding ban from October to December to curb toxic smog
