Lahore’s descent into hazardous air quality has become so routine that it now barely registers as a shock, which is precisely the problem. With pollution levels once again breaching dangerous thresholds and no rainfall in sight to offer temporary relief, the city finds itself trapped in a familiar cycle of smog, official warnings, and administrative inertia. The latest reports underline what residents already know too well: Lahore remains among the world’s most polluted cities, with toxic air persisting well beyond seasonal expectations.

The impact on citizens is neither abstract nor distant. Schools oscillate between closures and half-measures,........

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