All government and private schools and colleges in Lahore and Multan started normal educational activities from today (Wednesday) following a period of 13 days and after a drop in dangerous air pollution, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The government had earlier announced the closure of the schools from November 17 to 25 in Punjab province, home to nearly half the country's 240 million population, as dense smog hit "hazardous" levels.
With air quality improving in many districts, the government has decided to reopen schools in all divisions except Lahore and Multan a day ago.
"The ambient air quality has improved in Punjab, due to rain in upper parts of Punjab, change in wind direction and speed," the Environmental Protection Agency said late Tuesday.
"Therefore, all the educational institutions in the whole province, including Lahore and Multan Division, shall be opened" beginning Wednesday morning, it said.
According to a notification issued by the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPD), schools in affected districts will open at 8:45 am.
To ensure safety, all teachers and students are required to wear facemasks during school hours, and outdoor sports and extracurricular activities will remain suspended till further order.
The notification also outlines staggered dismissal times for different classes to reduce traffic congestion and limit pollution.
Breathing toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases can be triggered by prolonged exposure.
Since Sunday, the Air Quality Index has fallen below 300, the threshold considered "hazardous" for humans. Last week, the index hit a record high of 1,110.
But as of Tuesday evening, the concentration of PM2.5 micro-particle pollutants in Lahore was still more than ten times higher than levels deemed acceptable by the WHO.
A mix of low-grade fuel emissions from factories and vehicles, exacerbated by seasonal crop burn-off by farmers, blanket the city each winter, trapped by cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds.
According to a University of Chicago study, high levels of pollution have already reduced life expectancy in Lahore, the capital of Punjab with its 14 million inhabitants, by 7.5 years.
Similar hazardous conditions have hit India's capital New Delhi, where classes have been moved online after air pollution surged past 60 times the WHO-recommended daily maximum.
Experts believe that modernising car fleets, reviewing farming methods and making the transition to renewable energies are the keys to overcoming the smog that paralyzes millions of Pakistanis and Indians every year.
Reporter: Junaid Riaz/AFP