LAHORE, Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has signaled intentions to discuss the smog problem, stemming from crop residue burning in Indian Punjab, with India through diplomatic channels.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Prime Minister made this commitment during a special meeting of the Punjab Cabinet in Lahore. Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi presented that the primary cause of the pervasive smog in Lahore was the crop residue burning in neighbouring Indian Punjab. The discussion also delved into provincial financial matters, where it was mentioned that the government has successfully paid back a debt of six hundred and twenty-nine billion rupees and allocated an additional seventy-six billion rupees for the agricultural sector. Updates were provided on infrastructural projects including the Southern part of Lahore Ring Road (SL-3), the Gujranwala-Lahore-Sialkot Motorway, and the new bridge at Shahdara in Lahore. The Premier lauded the Punjab government for law enforcement actions in the KACHA area and was briefed on initiatives focusing on village development and cultural tourism promotion. Furthermore, a new policy aiming to issue NOCs in three days, designed to double the nursing workforce in Punjab and facilitate their international job placements, was introduced.