{
  "id": 19988049,
  "title": "Lahore smog prompts crackdown on crop residue fires",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/lahore-smog-prompts-crackdown-on-crop-residue-fires",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T14:12:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Times",
    "slug": "daily-times",
    "url": "https://dailytimes.com.pk/1581505/lahore-smog-prompts-crackdown-on-crop-residue-fires/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Pakistani authorities are expanding a crackdown on illegal stubble burning to address the region's annual pollution crisis. On Thursday, a new quick-response unit contained a fire at a paddy field on the edge of Lahore within minutes, preventing further smoke from contributing to the city's haze. According to New Straits Times, the Swiss group IQAir recently rated Lahore's air quality as \"very unhealthy.\"\n\nThe Punjab government has formed a 750-member force consisting of 67 rapid-response units across major rice-growing districts, according to Silwat Saeed, chief of the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department in Punjab. The Daily Times reports these specialized teams aim to reduce agricultural fires contributing to Lahore’s seasonal air pollution.\n\nNew Straits Times reports that satellites have detected less burned area in India and Pakistan than the historical average for this time of year, though many locals in Pakistan say they struggle to notice improvements. The regional pollution crisis is driven by a mix of industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, construction dust, and the burning of rice residue after the October harvest.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "As smog hangs over Lahore, Pakistan’s new pollution squad races to douse stubble fires",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/as-smog-hangs-over-lahore-pakistans-new-pollution-squad-races-to",
        "published": "2026-11-14T08:12:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "As smog hangs over Lahore, Pakistan's new pollution squad races to douse stubble fires",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/as-smog-hangs-over-lahore-pakistans-new-pollution-squad-races-to-19951879",
        "published": "2026-11-14T08:46:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "As smog hangs over Lahore, Pakistan's new pollution squad races to douse stubble fires",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/as-smog-hangs-over-lahore-pakistans-new-pollution-squad-races-to-19952803",
        "published": "2026-11-14T08:47:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "As smog hangs over Lahore, Pakistan's new pollution squad races to douse stubble fires",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/as-smog-hangs-over-lahore-pakistans-new-pollution-squad-races-to-19955549",
        "published": "2026-11-14T08:55:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}