Punjab Orders 50% Staff in Government, Private Offices to Work from Home Amid Rising Smog Levels
In response to escalating smog levels across Punjab, the provincial government has mandated a shift to remote work for 50% of employees in government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions. The directive, issued by Punjab’s Director General of Environment, Dr. Imran Hamid, is intended to reduce vehicular emissions that are exacerbating the air pollution crisis.
The directive, which applies to government offices across Punjab, stipulates that only half of the staff will be on-site, while the remaining employees will work remotely. Additionally, all inter-departmental meetings are to be conducted online, and commuting staff are encouraged to carpool to minimize emissions. The notification has been circulated to all secretaries and department heads for immediate implementation.
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Private sector employees are also affected. In four divisions—Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Multan—50% of staff in private offices, franchises, and NGOs are required to work from home between November 13 and December 31. This decision is aimed at curbing pollution-related illnesses linked to the hazardous air quality.
The provincial Environment Department emphasized that vehicle emissions contribute significantly to the region’s smog, with recent spikes in respiratory illnesses. The government has also ordered the closure of educational institutions across five additional divisions—Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, and Sahiwal. Schools, colleges, academies, and tuition centers from nursery to grade 12 will be closed from November 13 to 17, extending previous closures already in place for Lahore and neighboring areas.
The order comes as air pollution levels reach dangerous thresholds. Islamabad recorded an alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) of 268, far above the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended limits. Authorities have advised residents, particularly those with respiratory conditions, to wear masks as a preventive measure.
Weather forecasts indicate that smog and fog are expected to persist, particularly in the mornings and evenings, in cities across Punjab including Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sialkot, Hafizabad, and Toba Tek Singh. Similar conditions are anticipated in other cities such as Jhang, Narowal, Attock, Jhelum, and Faisalabad.
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