Pakistan’s First Artificial Rain Inspires Hope For Smog-Free Days

(CTN News) – Pakistan has recently taken a significant step towards improving air quality in Lahore by conducting its first-ever artificial rain experiment.

The caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, confirmed the successful event, stating that rain was induced in several neighborhoods of Lahore.

This development comes as a response to Lahore consistently ranking among the top three cities globally with the most polluted air in recent weeks.

During a press conference, Naqvi revealed that light rain had occurred in approximately ten areas of Lahore, and plans for a second mission were already underway. The air quality index for Lahore, recorded at 354 on Saturday evening, was classified as “hazardous” by the Swiss group IQAir.

To carry out this experiment, two special aircraft were brought in from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These aircraft carried 48 flares near Shahdara and Muridke during the first flight.

It is worth noting that the same technology has been successfully employed in the UAE, particularly in Dubai, where artificial rain is induced around a thousand times each year.

Artificial rain, also known as cloud seeding, is a technique used to manipulate weather conditions to stimulate precipitation.

This process involves introducing various substances, such as salt flares, into clouds to encourage the formation of raindrops or snowflakes. It is commonly employed in regions that suffer from drought or poor air quality.

According to experts, artificial rain does not pose any health risks. In the case of Punjab, the caretaker Chief Minister stated that the government did not incur any expenses for this method. The entire arrangement was made by the UAE to assist Punjab in combating smog.

The reports claiming that the Punjab government spent Rs350 million on artificial rain were deemed completely false.

Furthermore, it was mentioned that smog towers would be installed within a few weeks, and the air quality index would improve with the help of rain.

Every year, as winter approaches, the air quality tends to worsen due to the trapping of pollutants from various sources such as vehicles, industries, factories, construction dust, and agricultural waste burning.

Lastly, the caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaarul Haq Kakar, expressed gratitude to the UAE government for their support.

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