Lahore remains world’s most polluted major city as AQI crosses 600
LAHORE: Lahore was ranked the world’s most polluted major city on Monday as its Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 590, according to IQAir. A separate historical reading on the platform, however, showed an hourly index of 647, placing the city in the hazardous category. The IQAir live global major city ranking for 9am to 10am on Nov 9 placed Lahore at the top, followed by Ulaanbaatar with an AQI of…
LAHORE, the world's most polluted major city as of Monday, reached an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 590, according to IQAir. An earlier hourly reading of 647 indicated a hazardous level of pollution. Lahore topped the IQAir global major city ranking from 9am to 10am on Nov 9, followed by Ulaanbaatar (AQI 177), Delhi (174), Kolkata (173) and Sarajevo (170).
The AQI in Lahore was more than three times that of the second-ranked city. Air pollution, both outdoor and indoor, is the second-leading risk factor for deaths globally, causing an estimated 8.1 million deaths annually, with outdoor particulate matter responsible for 4.7 million of those deaths. Several neighborhoods in Lahore are affected by air pollution, with Allama Iqbal Town recording an AQI of 1,033, CERP Office (864) and Burki Road Paragon (748) also showing hazardous levels.
Pollution levels peak during early morning and late-night hours, creating dense smog that prompts residents to stay indoors. The crisis extends beyond Lahore, with other parts of Punjab experiencing hazardous air quality. The Punjab government warned that smoke from Diwali fireworks in neighboring Indian Punjab, crop-residue burning, and easterly winds could worsen air pollution in Lahore and nearby districts.
A special report predicted that Diwali smoke could reach Lahore within 5 to 13 hours, with easterly winds potentially carrying polluted air from Indian territory. Indian media reported deteriorating air quality following Diwali celebrations in cities like Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Patiala. Satellite-based fire detections show that Pakistani Punjab recorded 13,241 fire detections between Oct 1 and 29, 2026, four times more than Indian Punjab's 3,158 detections.
The EPA in Punjab has intensified its crackdown on agricultural burning, deploying specialized units and intensifying enforcement.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
