Lahore tops global pollution ranking with AQI of 410

Lahore becomes world's most polluted city as air quality deteriorates

Lahore ranked as the world’s most polluted city on Friday, with air pollution reaching alarming levels as residents faced increasingly hazardous conditions. Data from air quality monitoring platform IQAir showed the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 410 on Friday morning.

India’s New Delhi ranked second with an AQI of 203, followed by Dakar in Senegal at 196. Lahore’s reading placed it far ahead of other major cities on the pollution list.

The worsening air quality has renewed concerns over Pakistan’s growing smog crisis, which particularly affects Lahore during the colder months. Industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, crop residue burning and weather conditions that trap pollutants are among the major factors contributing to the problem.

IQAir reported that Lahore’s fine particulate matter pollution, known as PM2.5, was 45.2 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s annual guideline level. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of serious health problems, particularly with prolonged exposure.

The platform advised residents to avoid outdoor exercise, keep windows closed, wear protective masks when going outside and use indoor air purifiers where possible.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government’s air quality monitoring system recorded an AQI of 339 for Lahore at 11am on Thursday, placing the city’s air in the very unhealthy category. The figure was based on readings from 10 monitoring stations.

The difference between the two platforms’ figures may reflect variations in monitoring locations, measurement methods and averaging periods. However, both sets of data pointed to severe pollution in the provincial capital.

The deteriorating conditions have also raised concerns about public health, particularly among children. Human rights activist Sheikh Saqib said his two children were suffering from throat infections amid the smog. He criticised the government’s response, arguing that pollution-control measures had failed to address the problem effectively.

Saqib also warned that school attendance could decline as parents kept children at home to protect them from polluted air. He questioned official claims that the smog situation had improved, saying he continued to observe crop burning along motorways leading towards Islamabad and Karachi. He also pointed to smoke-emitting vehicles operating on Lahore’s roads.

Lahore had previously topped IQAir’s global pollution ranking on October 2, when its AQI reached 167, classified as unhealthy. Earlier this week, an analysis by the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service also placed Lahore among cities experiencing extremely poor ozone levels.