Lahore becomes most polluted city in world with an AQI of 708
PTC News Desk: Lahore has once again topped the list of the world's most polluted cities, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 708, according to Dawn.
Dawn said that with PM2.5 concentrations reaching 431 ug/m3, which is 86 times more than the World Health Organization's (WHO) yearly safe limit, the health of millions of Lahore residents is increasingly jeopardised.
Even the lowest AQI reading in the province capital is an alarming 246, classified as "very unhealthy."
Experts noted that severe pollution in Lahore can no longer be ignored as seasonal, with hazardous air lasting even in the summer months, indicating "systemic environmental mismanagement."
The situation is caused not only by stubble burning, but also by uncontrolled vehicle emissions, redundant industrial practices, and ineffective environmental regulation.
Private air quality monitors in Lahore recorded even higher AQI values, including readings of 953 in Gulberg, 810 near Pakistan Engineering Services, and 784 on Syed Maratab Ali Road.
However, the secretary of the Environment Protection and Culture Change Department (EPCCD) disputed these findings, claiming that government monitors use lower-cost sensors and that private data "could not be considered reliable," according to Dawn.
The EPCCD also highlighted Pakistan's lack of comprehensive study on smog sources, stating that official estimates of vehicle emissions range from 40 to 80 percent of Lahore's pollution load.
4.5 million bikes, over a million cars, and a large number of companies and brick kilns, many of which do not have pollution controls, all contribute to the problem.
Currently, Lahore relies on only three operational air quality monitors, with eight more slated for November. However, pollution levels peak between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., coinciding with significant truck traffic and construction. This exposes residents to unmonitored hazardous air during vital hours.
In response, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb issued an emergency notice asking individuals to wear masks and minimise outside activities, though critics argue that such advisories fall short.
- PTC NEWS