Lahore tops world pollution rankings again

Lahore has once again been ranked as the world’s most polluted major city, with air quality reaching the “unhealthy” category, according to live monitoring data from IQAir.

The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 167 on Friday morning. Dhaka in Bangladesh followed with an AQI of 164, while Cairo in Egypt ranked third with a reading of 158.

Lahore was the only Pakistani city among the top 30 most polluted cities listed by the monitoring platform. Karachi stood at 34th place with an AQI of 69.

The data showed that fine particulate pollution remained a major concern in Lahore. The concentration of PM2.5 particles was reported to be more than 15 times the World Health Organisation’s annual guideline level.

PM2.5 consists of extremely small particles that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system. Prolonged exposure can contribute to serious health problems, particularly when pollution levels remain elevated for extended periods.

Residents were advised to limit outdoor physical activity, keep windows closed when pollution levels are high, use masks outdoors and consider air purifiers indoors.

Air pollution has remained a major environmental challenge in Lahore and other parts of Punjab, particularly during the cooler months. Vehicular emissions, industrial activity, crop residue burning and weather conditions that trap pollutants near the ground are among the factors associated with worsening smog.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the provincial government was taking measures to address environmental problems. Speaking to senior officials in Lahore, she said the city and other parts of Punjab had experienced severe smog-related conditions in previous years.

She said the situation had improved over the past three years, although smog had not been completely eliminated.

Lahore has repeatedly appeared near the top of global pollution rankings. In January, the city recorded an AQI of 452, placing it among the world’s most polluted cities at the time.

A recent analysis by the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service also identified Lahore among cities experiencing extremely poor ozone conditions.