Lahore tops global pollution ranking as air quality turns ‘hazardous’

Dawn · 23/10/2026، 7:36:29 AM

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 phenomenon is attributed mainly to industrial emissions, vehicular pollution , stubble burning and air movement . Lahore topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities on Friday morning, with an air quality index (AQI) of 410, according to the IQAir live tracker. The reading fell under the ‘very unhealthy’ category. India’s New Delhi followed with an AQI of 203, while Senegal’s Dakar ranked third at 196. Figure shows the top ranked polluted cities according to IQAir on Friday morning. — Screengrab via IQAir The provincial capital was the only Pakistani city to rank among the 20 most polluted cities on Friday morning. Karachi was the only other Pakistani city on the 21-city list, with an AQI of 110. According to IQAir, in Lahore , “PM2.5 concentration is currently 45.2 times the World Health Organisation annual PM2.5 guideline value”. PM2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles, with diameters generally 2.5 micrometres and smaller. Of all air pollution measures, PM2.5 pollution poses the greatest health threat, according to IQAir. According to the website, PM2.5 can enter the circulatory system and even the brain, causing serious health complications if long-term exposure occurs. A view of the early morning in Lahore on Friday. Photo by Murtaza Ali For those in Lahore, IQAir recommended avoiding outdoor exercise, keeping windows closed to prevent outdoor air from entering, wearing a mask outdoors and installing an air purifier indoors. Lahore air quality map. —IQAir The Punjab government’s air quality monitoring platform, meanwhile, recorded an AQI of 339 for Lahore at 11am on T