LAHORE: Light rain and strong wind cleared Lahore of pollution, though temporarily, on Saturday, making citizens breath fresh air for a while after so many days.

The Met department said a westerly wave also gave light rain over some other cities in Punjab like Sahiwal, Nankana, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Chakwal and Mianwali, and snow over the Neelam Valley in Azad Kashmir, lowering temperatures there and other mountainous regions in the country.

In Lahore, rain was light and brief but it settled the pollution which the strong north-westerly wind blowing since early morning could not push towards the Indian Punjab. The impact was immediate and soothing for the people.

The Met department said the westerly wave was shallow but it helped a great deal in clearing the plain areas of Punjab of pollution that was developing smog there.

It also further lowered temperatures in different parts of the country. The minimum temperature in Kalat was -4 degrees Celsius, Skardu -3, Hunza and Quetta -1, Gilgit 1 and Dir and Chitral 2 degrees Celsius.

It forecast mainly cold and dry weather in most parts of the country in the next 24 hours. Light rain-thunderstorm with snow over the mountains is expected at isolated places in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

However, shallow fog/smog is expected in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur divisions during morning hours.