The Punjab government has established a working group to spearhead the implementation of an artificial rain project to deal with the problem of smog and pollution in Pakistan's Lahore city.

Environmental experts told The Express Tribune that during a meeting on Monday the first trial of cloud seeding, utilising aircraft and a chemical process, is anticipated to commence within the next four to six weeks.

The Punjab chief secretary presided over the meeting to review the progress of  artificial rain project and even the installation of smog reduction towers in the Pakistani city.

Officials from the Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) gave a detailed presentation on cloud seeding and ionisation, the two primary techniques employed to induce artificial rain, the newspaper reported.

The EPD is currently in the final stages of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Dubai-based company specialising in cloud ionisation.

Lahore remains one of the most polluted cities in the world.

It recorded an average US Air Quality Index (AQI) of 311 on Monday.