Lahore Smog Squad Races to Douse Stubble Fires

Punjab has put a new 750-member force on the fields around Lahore to stop stubble fires before their smoke adds to the city’s smog. The Lahore smog squad reached a paddy field on the edge of the city on Thursday and had a fire under control within minutes, Reuters reported.

The unit is the first of its kind in Pakistan, officials say. It works only on pollution, and its crews patrol rice-growing districts for signs of burning.

Lahore smog squad puts out 650 of 679 fires in a day

In a single 24-hour period this week, the department received 679 reports of field fires across Punjab. It said crews put out 650 of them.

The force has 67 rapid-response units across the main rice-growing districts. Teams aim to reach a reported fire within 10 to 15 minutes, the department said.

Complaints can be lodged through several channels, said Ashfaq Hussain, a deputy director of the force. “We receive complaints through multiple channels and respond to them in the shortest possible time,” he said.

Farmers set leftover rice residue alight after the October harvest. The smoke mixes with industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust and construction dust, and cold winter air holds the mix close to the ground. Swiss group IQAir rated Lahore “very unhealthy” earlier this week.

Fines of Rs15,000 an acre

Farmers caught burning stubble face a fine of Rs15,000 per acre, said Muhammad Farooq, an assistant director of the Punjab Agriculture Department. Those who do not pay can face prosecution and up to six months in jail.

The government has also handed out more than 10,000 subsidised super seeders, paying 60 per cent of the cost. The machines sow wheat directly into the residue, so the stubble does not need to be burned.

Muhammad Ismail, who farms 50 acres, said switching to a super seeder and other machinery had raised his wheat yield per acre. Yet many farmers still burn. Saleem Abbas, another local farmer who has stopped the practice, said others keep at it because it is the cheapest and fastest way to clear a field for the next crop.

Hospitals are still filling up

The health toll has not eased. In recent days, patients have crowded benches and corridors at hospitals in Lahore. Ahmed Abubakar, a heart patient who has had a bypass and is diabetic, said smog had brought on breathing problems and eye infections. Mohammad Niaz Butt, whose nose and throat were blocked, put it plainly: “They are burning it, and nothing is done about it.”

Health department data show a small sign of progress. Abdullah Nayyar, director general of the Punjab Environment Protection Department, said smog-related throat hospitalisations in October stood at 69 per cent of the level recorded in October 2025.

Why Lahore keeps choking

Lahore’s smog returns every winter, and stubble burning is only one part of it. Lahore’s air quality index crossed 600 earlier this month, and Punjab found 593 stubble-burning hotspots in a single check on November 7.

The crisis is regional. Delhi overtook Lahore as the world’s most polluted city this week, and satellites have detected less burned area in India and Pakistan than the historical average at this point in the year. Even so, many people in Lahore say they struggle to notice any improvement.

Pakistan has raised the issue with India at international forums, said Silwat Saeed, chief of the Punjab Environment Protection and Climate Change Department. India’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Punjab is also trying other fixes. Lahore may get artificial rain through cloud seeding as the smog worsens, and Faisalabad’s air quality index hit 600 as the crackdown widened.

Frequently asked questions

What is Punjab’s new smog squad?

A 750-member quick-response force with 67 units across the main rice-growing districts. It aims to reach reported field fires within 10 to 15 minutes.

How many stubble fires has the force put out?

In one 24-hour period this week, the department received 679 field fire reports and said it extinguished 650 of them.

What is the fine for burning stubble in Punjab?

Farmers caught burning stubble face a fine of Rs15,000 per acre. Those who fail to pay can face prosecution and a jail term of up to six months.

What is a super seeder?

A machine that sows wheat directly into crop residue, so farmers need not burn stubble to clear a field. Punjab has distributed more than 10,000, paying 60 per cent of the cost.

Why does Lahore’s smog get worse in winter?

Cold winter air traps smoke from stubble burning, industry, vehicles and construction dust close to the ground.