Lahore ranked as the most polluted city in the world, again

Lahore has once again been named the most polluted city in the world, with its air quality classified as "unhealthy" by air quality monitoring platform IQAir. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz acknowledged the government's efforts to tackle environmental issues. Air pollution has been a major public health and environmental crisis in Pakistan, particularly in Lahore, which experiences smog, especially in winter.

The smog is primarily caused by industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, stubble burning, and air movement. Lahore topped the list with an air quality index (AQI) of 167, closely followed by Dhaka, Bangladesh at 164 and Cairo, Egypt at 158. Lahore was the only Pakistani city in the top 30 most polluted cities on the list. The city's PM2.5 concentration is 15.2 times the World Health Organisation's annual guideline value, posing a significant health threat as it can enter the circulatory system and brain, causing serious health complications with long-term exposure.

IQAir advised Lahore residents to avoid outdoor exercise, close windows, wear masks outdoors, and use indoor air purifiers. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced a "smog shutdown" in Lahore for September and October for the past eight years, noting a decrease in smog in recent years. In January, Lahore was ranked the most polluted city globally by IQAir with an AQI of 452.

A recent analysis by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) also ranked Lahore among cities with extremely poor ozone levels.