Lahore world's most polluted city

Highlights

Lahore/Islamabad: Lahore in Pakistan continues to remain the world's most polluted city as smog blanketed the region on Tuesday and the city's Air...

Lahore/Islamabad: Lahore in Pakistan continues to remain the world's most polluted city as smog blanketed the region on Tuesday and the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 329 at around 9 am (local time) as per Swiss air quality monitor IQAir.

The global air quality ranking has placed Lahore at the top of the world's most polluted cities, surpassing perennial hotspots such as Delhi and Kolkata.

The report highlighted that Pakistan continues to face a deepening pollution crisis, with urban centres consistently appearing at the top of global pollution charts. Authorities have issued health advisories urging citizens, particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions, to remain indoors.

The AQI of Lahore stood at 329, with the level of deadly particulate matter (PM2.5) pollutants, the fine particulate matter in the air that causes the most damage to health, reaching 287.

Along with Lahore, Pakistan's Karachi also featured in the top 10 most polluted cities globally. It stood at the third spot in the list with an AQI recorded at 174. The severe air quality in Lahore was not uniform across the city with several areas crossing into the ‘hazardous’ threshold.

The air quality at the City School, Allama Iqbal Town, recorded an AQI of 505, a level considered an emergency health warning.