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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — An international rights group says tens of thousands of people in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore are at risk of respiratory disease because of poor air quality related to thick smog hanging over the region.
Amnesty International called Friday for “urgent action” for residents of Lahore due to the smog, which has engulfed the city of more than 10 million people over the past week. Amnesty says Pakistani officials’ inadequate response to the smog raises significant human rights concerns.
Rimmel Mohydin, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty, said people in Lahore have not had healthy air for a single day this year and that the air quality deteriorated to “hazardous” levels in November.
Rahman says thousands of people were treated this week for respiratory-related diseases, including asthma, flu, fever and cough.
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