Lahore chokes on toxic smog, retains title of world’s most polluted city
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Islamabad: Pakistan’s Lahore continues to top global pollution charts, recording some of the world’s worst air quality levels as thick smog engulfed the region on Wednesday, according to Swiss air quality monitor IQAir and local media reports.
At around 10:30 a.m., Lahore registered an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 563, placing it in the “Hazardous” category. The city’s main pollutant, PM2.5, stood at 357, The News International reported. Pakistan’s Karachi also ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities globally, occupying the seventh spot with an AQI of 154.
In Punjab’s Faisalabad region, air quality levels were even more alarming, with an AQI of 1,037 and a PM2.5 concentration of 595.2, nearly 119 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) safe limit. Multan and Peshawar also reported critically poor air quality, with AQI readings of 292 and 290, respectively.
The figures highlight the scale of Pakistan’s worsening air quality crisis, which continues to pose serious public health and environmental challenges.
In response, the Punjab government has activated an “emergency plan” to combat smog, involving action against stubble burning, smoke-emitting vehicles, and industrial violations. Authorities have also deployed anti-smog guns across Lahore to disperse particulate matter at major pollution hotspots. However, environmental experts warn that long-term improvements will require sustained regional coordination and stricter emissions control policies.
Health professionals have urged citizens to wear masks and protective goggles outdoors and limit exposure to toxic air, especially during peak smog hours in the morning and evening. They caution that prolonged exposure to such hazardous air quality can trigger respiratory illnesses, throat irritation, and eye infections, particularly affecting children and the elderly, according to Samaa TV.
Despite official claims of enforcement, violations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) persist. Several brick kilns continue to operate illegally in Batapur and other Lahore suburbs, releasing dense smoke into the atmosphere. In addition, uncovered trucks carrying construction materials further contribute to dust and particulate pollution in the city.
Experts emphasise that while short-term measures may reduce visible smog temporarily, sustainable change demands stronger regulation, industrial compliance, and cross-provincial collaboration to tackle Pakistan’s escalating air pollution emergency.
With IANS inputs