LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistani authorities have rolled out anti-smog guns in Lahore for the first time this winter as part of an intensified campaign to reduce the city’s worsening air pollution, officials said Thursday.

More than a dozen truck-mounted machines are now roaming city streets, spraying fine mists of water into the air to help settle dust and particulate matter, according to Sajid Bashir, spokesperson for the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA).

The move comes as Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, continues to rank among the most polluted cities in the world, particularly during the winter months when stagnant air, industrial emissions, and seasonal crop residue burning combine to create toxic smog.

“Anti-smog guns are being deployed in major areas of Lahore where pollution levels remain persistently high,” Bashir said, adding that the devices are primarily aimed at reducing PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations — the tiny airborne particles most harmful to human health.

Environmental experts have welcomed the initiative but caution that such measures are only short-term solutions unless accompanied by stricter emission controls and sustainable urban policies.

In recent weeks, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has repeatedly entered the “hazardous” range, prompting school closures and health advisories. The provincial government has also introduced work-from-home directives and restrictions on construction and industrial activity in an effort to reduce pollution.

The introduction of anti-smog guns represents a symbolic yet significant step in Pakistan’s ongoing struggle against one of its most pressing environmental challenges — a crisis that affects millions each winter across the Punjab region.