LAHORE; Thick smog blanketed Punjab’s capital on Saturday morning as Lahore once again ranked as the most polluted city in the world, according to the air quality monitoring platform IQAir.
At 8:30am, the city recorded a hazardous US Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 412, with PM2.5 levels measured at 281 micrograms per cubic meter — about 56 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual safe limit.
The toxic haze, which has persisted for several days, drastically reduced visibility and triggered widespread health complaints, including throat irritation, difficulty in breathing, and eye discomfort. Health experts have urged residents to stay indoors when possible and to wear protective masks outdoors.
The sharp decline in air quality comes with the onset of winter, when cooler temperatures, stagnant winds, and emissions from vehicles, industries, and crop residue burning trap pollutants close to the ground throughout Punjab.
Across the border, New Delhi also faced alarming pollution levels, ranking among the world’s most polluted cities with an AQI of 275 — categorised as very unhealthy. The Indian capital’s PM2.5 concentration stood at 200 µg/m³, largely due to vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and post-harvest stubble burning in neighbouring states.
Karachi, meanwhile, recorded an AQI of 141 — unhealthy for sensitive groups — with PM2.5 levels reaching 51.7 µg/m³, over ten times the WHO guideline limit.
Each winter, large parts of South Asia experience a sharp increase in smog as cold air traps fine particulate matter near the surface. Vehicle emissions, factory smoke, construction dust, and crop burning combine to create the thick haze that lingers for weeks.
In Lahore, authorities have begun limited anti-smog measures such as water sprinkling on roads and partial industrial shutdowns, though experts warn these are temporary steps and far from enough. Environmental specialists stress that without strict enforcement and cross-regional cooperation, the crisis will worsen as temperatures fall further.
Health professionals caution that long-term exposure to such high pollution levels can lead to serious illnesses, including lung cancer, heart disease, chronic respiratory conditions, and stroke — posing a severe threat to millions across South Asia.
Meanwhile, Punjab’s first advanced Smog Monitoring and Control Centre is operational, using modern technology to collect real-time air quality data. Anti-smog guns are being deployed across key hotspots in Lahore to reduce particulate emissions.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that nine departments of the provincial government are conducting coordinated operations against smog under the chief minister’s directives. She added that the environment protection force and other agencies are fully active, monitoring brick kilns through drones, and generating live air quality reports.
Aurangzeb further stated that for the first time in Punjab’s history, air quality forecasting has enabled timely action against rising pollution, complementing the government’s strategy to mitigate smog and improve public health conditions.
