Lahore tops global pollution ranking as air quality turns ‘hazardous’
Lahore ranked as the world’s most polluted city on Friday, with its air quality classified as “hazardous”, according to air quality monitoring platform IQAir. In the past few years, air pollution has become one of the most pressing public health and environmental crises facing Pakistan. Various cities of the country, most notably Lahore , deal with smog, especially in the winter months. The…
Lahore has been declared the most polluted city in the world, with its air quality rated as "hazardous" by air quality monitoring platform IQAir. Over recent years, air pollution has emerged as a major public health and environmental concern in Pakistan, particularly in cities like Lahore. The city's smog, especially during winters, is primarily caused by industrial emissions, vehicle pollution, stubble burning, and atmospheric conditions.
On Friday morning, Lahore's air quality index (AQI) reached 410, placing it in the 'very unhealthy' category. India's New Delhi and Senegal's Dakar followed with AQI readings of 203 and 196, respectively. Lahore is the only Pakistani city to make the list of the top 20 polluted cities on Friday morning, while Karachi is the only other Pakistani city on the list, with an AQI of 110.
According to IQAir, Lahore's PM2.5 concentration, or fine inhalable particles, is currently 45.2 times the World Health Organisation's annual PM2.5 guideline value. These particles can enter the circulatory system and brain, leading to severe health complications if exposure persists. IQAir advises residents to avoid outdoor exercise, keep windows closed, wear masks when outdoors, and use air purifiers indoors.
The Punjab government's air quality monitoring platform recorded an AQI of 339 for Lahore at 11am on Thursday, classifying the air as 'very unhealthy'. The discrepancy in readings between the two platforms could be due to differences in monitoring stations, averaging periods, and methodologies. Human rights activist Sheikh Saqib, whose children are suffering from throat infections due to smog, criticized the government for empty claims about measures to tackle air pollution.
He also noted the continued presence of crop burning and smoke-emitting vehicles on Lahore's roads, questioning the effectiveness of the government's efforts to address air pollution.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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