2 days Ago By Web Desk
Lahore’s air quality dipped below the hazardous threshold on Tuesday, briefly improving before returning to severe pollution levels, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 395 as of 9:30 am. The city ranked as the second-most polluted globally, according to live rankings by Swiss monitoring group IQAir. An AQI exceeding 300 is deemed 'hazardous' for human health.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Lahore's air measured 54.5 times above the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual guideline, posing severe health risks.
Earlier in the day, the city saw a brief improvement with an AQI of 252, categorized as 'very unhealthy.' Lahore, home to 14 million residents near the Indian border, has faced record-breaking smog levels this month. However, Delhi overtook Lahore as the world's most polluted city on Tuesday, with an AQI of 431.
The smog crisis has prompted Punjab authorities to extend school closures in Lahore and Multan until November 24 and ban outdoor sports and activities across the province until January. Anti-pollution measures, including crackdowns on rickshaws, barbecues, and construction sites, remain ongoing. Volatile organic compounds blamed for smog Seasonal crop burning by farmers on the city's outskirts continues to worsen air quality.
The WHO links such pollution to strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses. Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, also faces deteriorating air quality, ranking fifth among the world's most polluted cities with an AQI of 200. Tags: lahore smog hazardous.
