LAHORE (The Thursday Times) — Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has unveiled the world’s first AI-powered anti-smog gun deployment in Lahore, integrating real-time data from satellites and drones to tackle the city’s hazardous air pollution.
In a significant technological intervention aimed at combating Pakistan’s chronic urban air pollution, the provincial government of Punjab has begun deploying 15 high-powered Anti-Smog Guns in Lahore. The system, described by officials as the first field-tested AI-powered dust suspension network of its kind, is designed to neutralise dangerous airborne pollutants through automated mist dispersion.
The system works by spraying ultra-fine water particles into the atmosphere using fog cannons. These droplets bind with hazardous pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10, causing them to fall to the ground and temporarily clearing the air in high-traffic and densely populated urban areas. The fog guns are equipped to respond autonomously, activating based on live air quality data received from a centralised monitoring network.
The network collects pollution readings from a suite of real-time sources, including satellites, drones, and environmental sensors. Artificial intelligence algorithms determine when and where pollution levels reach critical thresholds, prompting the cannons to engage without manual input.
The system has been fully integrated into Punjab’s broader air quality enforcement ecosystem. This includes a synchronised network of QR-coded brick kilns, which can be tracked for emissions compliance, as well as coordination with the provincial Environment Protection Force.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, in a statement shared via social media platform X, called the initiative a landmark in Pakistan’s environmental policy. She emphasised that technology, policy, and public cooperation are now converging in a coordinated campaign to reclaim breathable air in one of the world’s most polluted cities.
Alhamdulilah the first ever world tested dust suspension system comprising of 15 Anti Smog Guns has arrived in Lahore and is being assembled. These advanced fog cannons spray ultra fine water mist to capture harmful airborne particles, including PM2.5 & PM10, forcing them to… pic.twitter.com/aa3JoEIoK0
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 1, 2025
Lahore, frequently ranked among the top cities globally for poor air quality, has experienced prolonged periods of toxic smog each winter, leading to school closures, respiratory illness, and economic disruption. Analysts say that while the anti-smog guns are unlikely to solve the problem alone, their deployment signals a growing seriousness in addressing environmental crises using emerging technologies.
The programme will initially focus on pollution hotspots across Lahore, with plans to expand based on performance and public health data.
